To Boldly Flee
by John Mccallistair
Summary: Hiccup had intended to run away quietly, to leave Berk without notice or confusion. However, an incident at the cove results in him "accidently" kidnapping Astrid along with him as he flees. He, she and Toothless now embark on an odyssey across Dark Age Europe, learning what it means to grow up, live, and to love. A new take on the "Hiccup runs away" AU. Hiccstrid.
1. The Best Laid Plans

"You just scared him!"

"I scared _him_?!"

Astrid Hofferson lurched back in a sudden and incontrollable jolt of terror, for the first time in her life experiencing what it truly meant to fear as her legs quickly grew weak and mouth dry.

A Night Fury, the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself hunched over and stared at her menacingly. The living shadow that was forever unseen looked into her soul with malevolent, green eyes, black pupils continuously contracted and loosened as it tried to lurch forward towards her. Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, the village screw-up and outcast stood in front of it, his entire lanky and weak build trying to hold the dragon's head back and only barely achieving a modicum of control over the beast. Despite every rational thought in her mind begging her to run that instant, Astrid gathered enough of her resolve for a moment as the dragon eyed her with malice. She shook with disbelief as she posed an unsteady question.

"Who..._is him_?"

Hiccup took a step forward, trying despite his feeble and unintimidating stature to become assertive in the situation. He put on a visibly fake smile in an attempt to calm the nerves of all parties involved as he directed the girl's attention to the dragon that only begrudgingly disciplined itself as the boy stepped forward.

"Uh...Astrid-Toothless..." Astrid piqued an eyebrow at the strange name as Hiccup's expression grew more serious and demanding as he turned to awkwardly named dragon and attempted the reverse, hoping to discipline the beast that was the cause of so much confrontation.

"...Toothless-Astrid."

The dragon-forsaking its name- bared a full palisade of sharp and intimidating teeth to Astrid, much to Hiccup's chagrin. Feeling that she was not going to be _immediately_ harmed, Astrid turned with a disbelieving scowl and began to run towards the cove entrance. She had to get out of here, had to warn the village. She had to tell them that the heir to the throne was a traitor. Years of training and preparation kicked in as her legs surged with adrenaline. She was ready for a situation like this. Every Viking was disciplined from birth to point out traitors in their midst, those who would dare forsake the traditions of war and give in to the company of the enemy. Every footfall drew her closer to support and an opportunity to do change the course of her last few humiliating weeks. Fear quickly mutated into bravado as she rapidly contemplated what she would say and do to help rally the village against the boy.

"Dat dah dah...we're dead."

She passed off the nasally, deadpanned comment as she raced to the exit, a thin slit in the rock wall through which she had finally tracked Hiccup after days of relentless pursuit and spying. Once she got through those walls, she might just have a chance. Out in the open she could make a stand, find something with which to defend herself now that her axe was unavailable. Freedom was within her stride, the glory and respect that would come with ousting such a traitor so close she could taste it. She had come here to see how Hiccup had so suddenly and un-expectantly become so formidable at fighting dragons; she did not expect to find him friends with one. Now vengeance could be hers _and_ she would be justified in taking it. She would get what she deserved-honor and privilege. At the same time Hiccup would get what he had _always_ deserved-punishment and shame.

"No Toothless stop!"

Astrid turned at the exclamation just in time to see the dark mass of dragon leap towards her with a roar. She ducked to the right as the dragon scrambled to a stop before the exit and approached her, teeth extended and desiring blood. Astrid looked around frantically to defend herself and quickly resolved to get back to her axe that had been thrown from her hand a moment ago. If the dragon were blocking her way out, then she would just have to fight through the dragon. After all, there was much honor to be had in killing such a beast.

"No!"

Hiccup barked at the dragon. He raced to beat Astrid to the axe and by virtue of his closer proximity got in front of it. Though Astrid feared a moment that he was going to _try_ to swing it at her, she instead stopped as Hiccup extended a palm out towards her, his face shaken and pleading at the chaotic circumstances.

"Astrid! You _have_ to give me a chance to explain!"

Astrid turned to try and find another route of escape, but found instead the Night Fury had taken to pacing behind her, constricted reptilian eyes tracing her every move. She turned back to Hiccup, realizing for the moment that she had become trapped. If she moved against Hiccup, the dragon would most surely pounce on her and snuff out her young life quickly with its fire. She was brimming with rage, but as her training had taught her that sometimes you had to think about things strategically. This was unfortunately one of those times.

"Please Astrid, just listen to me!"

"I am not listening to _anything _you have to say!"

Astrid brushed past him on the left. Though she couldn't get to her axe at the moment, she certainly wasn't going to let_ Hiccup_ keep her trapped. If she was going to find out what the Hel was going on, she was doing this in a dignified fashion as befitting her status. She just needed to keep on her toes and find something to get back on the offensive, from which she would grab her axe and slay both the monster and the traitor. Either way, only one party was making it out of this cove alive, and Astrid was very much in favor of living herself.

"Astrid!"

"Shut up!" She screeched back, feeling a morsel more confident in an open space as she stood on the plain near the pond. The Night Fury growled at her in anger and started to walk forward for a moment before Hiccup turned back to it with a frantic but authoritative tone of voice.

"No! Toothless this is between me and Astrid, stay out of this!"

The dragon hissed at Hiccup and raised its tail threateningly. Astrid watched astounded as Hiccup the Screw-up actually talked with a fair amount of determination towards the beast. It was only more confirmation that he had some kind of long standing relationship with the creature, making him even more of a traitor and blasphemer. She wanted to wonder, wanted to contemplate how long he had known the beast, considering his escapade a few weeks ago when he claimed to have shot one of the beasts down. Could this really be the same one? Had he been telling the truth all along?

"Toothless! I have everything under control! Do _not_ interfere." Hiccup raised his hand to the Night Fury who eyed the boy for a long moment with frustration. It stunned Astrid that Hiccup could talk with such determination to the monster. Here was a boy who could hardly do anything right, and yet here he was attempting to reason with the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself. Clearly yet another sign of mutual respect between them, another addition to the list of sins this boy had committed against his culture and tribe.

"Toothless...do _not_ interfere..."

The dragon sat back on its hind legs and cocked its head at Hiccup, still obviously distraught over Astrid's presence. His snarling teeth were slowly overcome by stiff lips even as it maintained a death stare on the girl, clearly intent on conveying his hatred even if he could not act upon it.

_::Oh this will be good...:: _

Hiccup turned back to Astrid, visibly nervous as he sighed. "Okay...Astrid-"

"Hiccup what the Hel is this?" Astrid immediately took control of the situation as she pointed to the dragon as one would the accused. Her tone of voice quickly demonstrated her frustration at the situation, and she knew she had to be cautious not to get too emotional lest she strike out physically.

"Okay I know this looks..._really bad_ but-"

"What are you _friends_ with this thing?"

"It's not a thing!" Hiccup shouted back. Though the way in which his high and scratchy voice oscillated wildly made any attempt by the boy at a serious tone prone to failure, his words communicated a strong sense of defiance to Astrid's accusation. She would have otherwise been impressed with his audacity were it not for his blasphemy, this egregious insult to the village's way of life that he was trying to cover up with petty excuses.

"Look-look okay it's just-oh it's so messed up now. Look I..." Hiccup trailed off a moment, turning to his side and trying to find the right words. Astrid kept her arms half raised as she looked around in the awkward moment of silence. She noted how there was a fallen tree branch close to the pond of the cove. It would have to do.

"You…_what?_" Astrid asked as she started to pace around slowly to conceal her intent. If she could fake innocence and maneuver both of them into the right position she might just have a chance at this.

"Okay-Okay look I-I-I shot him down a few weeks ago with my bolas launcher. I found him in the woods and-"

"And you didn't kill him?" Astrid interjected bitterly. She noted how the Night Fury who looked at her with limited interest seemed to have a large piece of leather strapped to its back. A saddle? Had he actually ridden the beast? How many sins had this boy committed?

"N-No. No I-I couldn't." Hiccup stopped a moment and continued his search for words and courage in face of the circumstances. Astrid made her way a few steps closer to the branch. She started calculating how long it would take to swing at him before she would drop it, make for her axe and then take both he and his demon down.

"I-anyways I let him go and a few days later I found him here in this cove. I had shot off his left tail fin and-and I knew that if he couldn't fly he would die so I...I decided to help him fly."

Hiccup added a weak, crooked smile to his final words; trying to make the situation seem better than it was. Astrid had taken a few more steps towards the tree limb. She turned her back to him, both out of shock that he had let a dragon live, and in a hope that she could draw him in closer by feigning a calm demeanor and perhaps even interest in what he had to say. Her hopes proved correct, Hiccup approached her with arms half outstretched, trying his best to sound distinguished and justified in what he knew to be traitorous actions.

"And from then on I just-I just sort of became...friends with him. And that's how I learned all the things I used in dragon training and why I wanted you to win-"

_Win? Why would he want me to win?_

"-and why I was...why I was hoping on leaving tonight."

Astrid turned her head slightly towards Hiccup as she took the final few steps towards the limb that lay by the pond. She put on her best-confused expression to lure him inwards, not so much concerned with his story as she was the punishment to be inflicted on him for his treachery.

He was a traitor regardless of what he said. He was collaborating with the beasts that had killed dozens of villagers-including her mother-and which were responsible for why Berk was the way it was. He had to suffer the consequences of this heresy. He and his _pet_ dragon. He had even somehow beaten her in dragon training by cooperating with the demon. _He_ had beaten_ her_ through this deceit. In just a few weeks he had overturned years of what had been a stable and accepted paradigm between them, his submissive role to abuse and her domineering presence in the village, the leader of their generation that made a great commitment to having him ostracized and isolated where he belonged. He had dared to disturb the stability of island culture in this one act, and would pay for it dearly.

"Leaving?" She asked softly, enticing him closer with a fake, worrying tone. At least if he was a blasphemer, he knew enough to exile himself. She considered it honorable, but not enough to save him from his fate.

"Yeah well..."Hiccup ran his left hand though his hair at explaining his cowardly intentions."Well I...I couldn't kill Toothless, and I of course don't have the will _or_ the ability to fight the Nightmare so I figured I'd just...you know...get out of here. Let you have the honors while I just...yeah."

Hiccup motioned with his hands to the side, trying to keep a lighthearted demeanor over the situation. He was praying and hoping and praying some more that Astrid was listening to him, that he might actually get through to her and maybe convince her not to rat him out. Hope was after all a supply he had in vast supply, no matter how in vain it sometimes was.

"Really? You were just going to leave? Just like that?" She was bitter in tone, more so hoping to draw him even closer out of sympathy than out of actual concern. As far she was concerned he would not leave the island, but instead this world as a whole.

_Just a few more steps..._

"Well I-I just..."Hiccup kept his head down as he took the last few steps Astrid wanted him to take. She smiled as he came within striking distance, and while still keeping her innocuous persona about her crouched down to the stick but kept her arms close to her chest, wanting to make her attack as much a surprise as possible.

"I don't know...I just thought maybe if I left it would be better...for everyone." He sighed as Astrid remained quiet, adjusting her arm in such a way to be able to grab the tree limb quickly. Toothless took note of her movements and snarled lowly, chilling Astrid's blood as she feared that her plan may have been revealed by a third party.

"Toothless!" Hiccup quickly snapped back at the dragon, turning his back to Astrid. The girl looked to the both of them, still in awe at how a creature so mighty could yield any authority to a boy as weak as Hiccup.

_::Hiccup...she is preparing to attack you...::_

"Toothless I've got everything under control! I told you-do not interfere!"

_::Hiccup…::_

"Toothless…stay out of this."

_::…Alright...but do not say I did not warn you...::_

Hiccup ignored the skepticism for the moment. He needed Toothless to stay docile for the time being. He needed to gently show Astrid that the dragon meant no harm, and Toothless' snarling and theories were not making that any easier. He turned back to Astrid, who he suspected to be taking in his testimony quietly and reasonably.

The girl instead only looked at him with bewilderment, as he seemed to have had a conversation with only himself, portraying some character of the dragon while actual beast still sat away and looked on attentively, although now more reserved and seeming to beg for some manner of action. While she was still hesitant about what the beast would do if she were to act on her innate violence, from Hiccup said she knew she might have at least a chance. It was better than nothing.

"So...that's it. I came here to run away like a coward and let you kill the Nightmare. There you go." Hiccup let his arms fall to his side, hoping Astrid would start asking him some more serious and well thought out, rational questions.

"That's it?" Astrid asked, gaze still seemingly transfixed upon the pond. She forced his story to the back of her mind, dismissing whatever serious contemplation could be done to the tale and focusing on her need for vengeance. That above all was what mattered.

"Uh...yeah." Hiccup answered without energy, nervous and wishing Astrid would start asking more in depth, understanding questions. "So...you alright then?"

"Alright?" Astrid reached her right hand forward and rested it lightly on the tree limb. "You think I'm _okay_ with this?" She asked as her grip tightened around the whole circumference of wood. It was an awkward and unwieldy piece, but it would have to do. One good blow was all it would take.

"Uh…maybe?"

"Maybe _not_!"

In one swift movement both her hands grabbed the branch and swung it with all her might. It was only by miscalculating her distance to him by a hand's length that she missed Hiccup's head, sending him back with a frantic stumble as she took the branch in both hands pounced.

"Whoa! Wait! Wait! Astrid-"

"Yahhhhhh!"

She leaped onto Hiccup and quickly pinned him to the ground. She pushed the branch up to his neck and pressed down firmly. She bent over his chest and leaned in, applying all the force she could. His left arm attempted to push on her face and get her off him, but she pinned it down with a knee as she continued to strangle him with the branch. She applied as much force as she could, knowing that time was of the essence as she leaned her head in towards him, growling between her teeth.

"You _traitor_!"

Hiccup's eyes began to bulge at the sudden pressure on his neck as he felt precious air quickly slipping away from him. Tears welled at the sides of his eyes as he gave a desperate, pleading glance to Astrid, begging for his life as wet, guttural sounds came up from the back of his throat.

_"Die..."_

She pressed down hard, intent to crush his trachea if nothing else. He _had _to die. He had to suffer for the embarrassment he had caused her, for _daring_ to show her up in dragon training. For taking away her dream she had trained for her entire life in the course of a few short weeks.

His face was stripped of any types of deceitful looks of confidence or assurance. He was rendered a helpless heap, a weak and pleading mass of flesh that was desperately struggling to stay alive. Advanced conscious thought was nowhere to be found as the two partook in one of the oldest of human hobbies, the hunter and the prey. Hiccup's other arm continued to squirm, free of her knee. She pushed the wood down harder, hoping she could kill him fast enough before the dragon interfered. A deathly moan rose from the back of his throat, a desperate plea for her to stop. She only focused more on his face, determined to drive any semblance of light or life from it. So determined in fact that she ignored Hiccup's free hand grasping a nearby stone and desperately swinging it towards her head.

A dull clunking sound reverberated where the rock made contact with her skull, and Astrid fell off to his side in following with the momentum of the swing. Hiccup felt the pressure on his throat quickly fall away with the tree limb. Air came back to his lungs as he sat up, throwing off the wood and gasping violently. He dropped the stone to his side as he clenched his throat, alight with burning pain as it absorbed every gasp of oxygen it could.

"Oh-oh-oh gods-oh my gods-oh man." He hacked up the saliva caught at the back of his throat, coughing violently with each exhale before taking as deep inhales as he could, his body desperate for the air it had momentarily been deprived of. It was truly astounding how just a few seconds in a stranglehold could render one so desperate for air. He looked over to Toothless, who was now walking towards him lackadaisically.

"Okay you could have interfered a little!" He yelled towards the dragon who dared to roll his eyes at the boy's anger.

_::I was going to...but you seem to have beaten me to it.::_

Toothless' candor redirected Hiccup to the girl at his left who lay motionless aside from a few slight tremors at her extremities. Hiccup only needed the space of a blink to recognize what he had done.

"Oh gods!"

Hiccup adjusted himself and got close to Astrid, disregarding her attempt to kill him a moment ago out of concern that he may have in fact killed her instead. He thought for a moment about how serious this could be before her eyes fluttered open and her brow furled in pain and confusion.

"H-H-Hic-cup..." She tried to push herself up, still determined to kill the traitor before her. Astrid sighed as she looked up to Hiccup, her eyes dilating and lids closing as she turned away from the falling sunlight.

"Oh gods..." Hiccup stood back up, running hands through his hair as a new wave of adrenaline overcame his body while he panicked. Astrid's eyes closed and her head fell to her side, her body motionless asides from a few tremors at her extremities.

"Oh this is bad! Oh this is _very_ bad!" Hiccup felt his legs giving out as his body used up the last of his adrenaline to panic over Astrid's health. Toothless merely sat back again and looked on with a curious interest as Hiccup grabbed Astrid's wrist and pressed his finger to it. He was relieved to actually hear a slow but consistent heartbeat flowing through her veins as he let the arm fall limp against the ground.

"Oh gods what have I done?!" He continued to panic, his eyes wide and worrisome as he tried to contemplate what he was going to do.

_::Well, now that that whole business is taken care of I do believe we were leaving yes?::_

Hiccup gave a momentary glance to the dragon that was gesturing towards the basket Hiccup had brought, filled to the brim with all his supplies. He turned back to Astrid, unconscious against the ground. He had done this. He had knocked Astrid Hofferson unconscious

_He_ had knocked _Astrid_ unconscious.

There was some pride to be had in such an accomplishment. He only regretted that the only time amidst all the beatings that he had fought her off had been now, and that it had knocked her out cold as result. He stubbornly fought back some emotion that was daring to rush his eyes, truly distraught over having caused her any physical pain. He'd never wanted to do something like, never wanted any of what had just happened. What was supposed to have been such an easy and stealthy escape from his entire life had devolved into a nightmare.

"Oh this is bad...very bad…" He grumbled to himself, unsure of what to do and terrified of any long term damages he may have inflicted.

_::Well, why are we waiting? I was under the assumption that we were leaving? Have you suddenly changed your mind? _

Hiccup shook his head and ignored Toothless' question for the moment and tried to think. This was a time that called for careful contemplation, perhaps the fate of the one person he had worshipped from afar all his life hung in the balance. He couldn't just _leave_ her here. Could he?

Of course he could. She was still breathing, all he had to do was leave her here until she woke up; by which time he would be long gone and it didn't matter what she did. Better yet he could just fly her to the outskirts of the village where she could be easily found by someone, there would no doubt be the usual sentries making their nightly rounds against dragons, she would certainly be found if she were put in the right place. He could leave, she would be found and be safe and hate him for eternity whilst he wandered about the world. He began to smile at his conclusion, it would be a perfectly reasonable remedy to the situation. Everything would be fine and it would be as though this entire situation had never happened.

_Or..._

Hiccup didn't believe himself when the doubt came to his mind, but it rapidly manifested regardless and was quick to consume his thoughts. She would be stuck here the rest of her days, fighting a perpetual war against creatures he knew could possibly be good if Toothless-despite his sass-was any indication. She would be fighting a desperate fight with no end in sight, probably ending in her demise at the hands of a Nightmare or a Timberjack or even a Grockle. She, his only real object of affection-however in vain-would die a lonely warrior's death against creatures she did not have to fight. _He _could rescue _her_ from that fate, save her life and show her the world.

He also needed to get the Hel out of here and soon.

He kept watch over the still body, the one he was now intending to kidnap-no-_save_ from a grisly and pointless death. From behind him, he could hear Toothless' paw steps and the warm breath of the dragon as it stooped over him. A moment of silence passed between the two creatures as the dragon made inferences as to his rider's thoughts by his slow, contemplative body language.

_::You CANNOT be serious...::_

Though Hiccup knew the dragon couldn't actually read his thoughts, he was already regretting that they had grown so close that the winged reptile could so easily discern what he was thinking by physical appearance alone.

"Well…I..."

_::No. Absolutely not.::_

"Toothless..."

_::This girl just tried to kill you and now you actually want to take her with us? Is attempted killing looked upon favorably in your society?::_

Toothless sat back on his hind legs again and eyed Hiccup with a cocked head and exhausted expression. Hiccup could see the irritation growing in the dragon's mind, but pressed on with frantic emotions guiding every small movement of his tongue.

"I-uh...well _YES_technically but that's irrelevant! It's just-just-" Hiccup tried to find the words to combat Toothless' typically logical and formidable argument as he stared the dragon down, a hand gesturing to Astrid's body as he stammered. He wasn't doing well so far, but he refused to take no for an answer now that he was so resolute in his conviction. It was the only way. It _had_ to be.

_::Is she a sibling of yours?::_

"No..."

_::Hunting partner?::_

"No..."

_::Rutting mate?::_

"No!" Hiccup exclaimed at the implication. Granted he had thought about that last suggestion-a _lot_-but he knew it to be pointless fantasy and nothing more for the moment. Those thoughts could always be saved for later when the object of those thought's life was not on the line.

_::I was just asking...::_

"No it's...it's just that I...I don't know I just-Toothless please." Hiccup begged of the dragon who huffed as it rolled his eyes again.

_::She would only slow us down. Need I remind you that I am not just some flying horse? I can only carry so much weight...::_

"Yeah yeah I know that but...look I'll take some things out of my supply basket if that will help." Hiccup knew he had only packed vital necessities and that departing with almost any of them would bode ill for him, but he was desperate to win at any cost, even to himself.

_::So you are telling me that you want to get rid of some of the stupid amount of provisions you humans need to live and in turn make your life difficult... in order to steal away a girl who just tried to kill both of us that you for some unfathomable reason care about into the night never to return?::_

"Uh..." Hiccup stalled a moment, knowing he was actually making himself agree with the ludicrous sounding statement. "Yep. That's the plan."

Toothless looked his human companion down for a moment, trying and failing despite his own vast intelligence to find a suitable reason for Hiccup's behavior. Hiccup knew he was being derided and mocked within the creature's head, but he was so used to it from humans that it bothered him little.

"Please Toothless."

_::...fine. But if she awakens mid flight and tries to kill either of us I will toss her into the ocean. No argument.::_

"Deal."

Toothless shirked away, knowing he wasn't going to enjoy this experience at all while Hiccup scrambled back to his pack that he'd been preparing before Astrid's violent interlude. He was quick to rummage through and analyze everything he had.

Healing herbs? They could be found most anywhere...not necessary. His entire worth of silver? He would certainly need it for now and he could dispose of it easily enough...keep. Two blankets? He had Toothless; just keep one for Astrid though...since he was _technically_ kidnapping her. Keep the pillow though, it wasn't _too_ heavy. Pencil and notebooks? Oh it pained him to separate from such cherished belongings...but necessity was key. Dump them.

Clothes...so many clothes and towels. He supposed he could use his silver to buy new ones later for himself and Astrid...who he was _technically_ kidnapping...he shook his head at the thought and made his decision. He kept one set of everything for himself and another for Astrid in case she needed something extra and got rid of the rest.

He lifted the new basket and found it _much_ lighter than before, to the point that he could-with some difficulty- lift it with one arm. He smiled to Toothless at the demonstration of his ability to abandon things quickly and to the illusionary sense of strength that his hold on the basket gave him. He was prideful for the moment, impressed with his own convictions of self sacrifice in order to help Astrid. Like so many things before, his entire struggle was for her.

_::Yes yes you are very strong. Can we go now please?"::_

"Yeah yeah we're going you impatient reptile."

_::I am only impatient because I want to get this added strain on my back over with as soon as possible.::_

"Oh please…you are so overdramatic sometimes you know that?"

Hiccup waved off the reptile as he brought the pack over to the dragon who eyed the sky greedily, yearning to fly away with his human friend and feel the sense of freedom that he had known for so many years past. Hiccup put the pack down and went over to Astrid's body, still motionless and unresponsive.

"Well, here goes nothing." Hiccup bent down over the body, trying to find the best way to move it. He first lifted up her head, where he noticed her temple was bleeding slightly from where he had struck. He winced at the sight, but took some relief that at least the blood was already clotting and the gash was not too wide or deep. He made several attempts to hoist up her body so as to attempt to carry her over his shoulder. All efforts failed miserably. First he had reached too low and found he had no leverage. Then he tried her upper torso, but found he didn't have it within him to try hauling her up by the breasts.

_If this is going to be a kidnapping it's going to be a classy kidnapping damnit..._

Finally he resolved to simply grab her arms and drag her towards Toothless, who watched his rider struggling to pull on the girl's limp body with dry, passive amusement.

_::You cannot even lift her...and yet you expect me to carry her with us? Does hypocrisy mean anything to you?::_

"Enough..."

Hiccup grumbled as he let Astrid's arms drop a moment before he slid her up onto Toothless' back, arranging her legs around the dragon's body and making sure she was steady. He pulled his basket over his shoulder-relieved at how light it was-before mounting the dragon as well, noting how Toothless over dramatically faltered under the new weight.

_::Well, this ought to be interesting.::_

"I know bud…" Hiccup started as he pulled Astrid's arms over his shoulders and arranged them so they could be held onto firmly with one of his own"…but we wanted excitement..."

_::No, we wanted to fly away from here so you would not have to kill a dragon and so I would not be found and killed by your village and have my skull be a helmet for your father...::_

"Well yeah there was that too… but I guess from now on we're looking for excitement. How does that sound?"

_:: About as appealing as pointlessly dragging around a girl that hates us and serves no benefit...::_

"Well maybe if we flew you wouldn't have to drag her now would you?"

_::Ugh…such a waste. Very well, hang on.::_

Toothless bounded into the sky quickly, Hiccup embracing the rush of wind past his face as the ground quickly became a distant memory behind them. Toothless was quick to race towards a high altitude, intent to soar on the wind and save himself the strain on pumping his wings so much thanks to the extra weight. Hiccup clutched Astrid's arms tightly to make sure she wouldn't fall off as the dragon ascended. Night was coming; the sky was allowing one last brilliant flash of orange to the group as Toothless began to level off at a good cruising distance, his body a small, nearly indistinguishable silhouette of the night to come when lain against the background of pink and orange clouds that were slowly rolling in towards the island.

Hiccup looked down to Berk below, his unwelcome home for the past fifteen years. He knew his father would find his note sometime soon and that the entire village would then be on alert. They would all call him a traitor and a coward and strive to remove every part of his memory from the village. There would be hatred, loathing, disrespect, an efforts to erase his very existence from village memory.

Would it be any different from now?

He was disrespected and ignored by most everyone. Gobber and Gothi were the only ones he could at least call 'acquaintances'; and even then village culture dictated that they couldn't be _too_ friendly with him. He was Hiccup after all, the screw up, the Viking not meant to be a Viking. He always got in the way, was always interfering with how the village worked even when he didn't intend to. Life just seemed to conspire against him whether he liked it or not, forever playing games with his rag doll of a person that had been for so many years trapped in a place where he did not belong.

And the one person who did embody everything about Berkian culture, the one girl that was lauded and loved more than anything by everyone was being stolen by him, kidnapped into the night and never to return. They would all hate him for this, both his and Astrid's fathers especially. But a small part of him found it suitable that the final emotions anyone in the village would feel towards him would be hatred and disgust. If he was going to leave them, he was going to leave them with the impression of him they were most familiar with.

Looking down from the safety of the heavens he saw the village, a place of nothing but bad memories and without a future for him. He looked to a single longhouse near the outskirts and gave his home one last, ungrateful look before turning to the open ocean before him, the light of the falling sun starting to give way to the oncoming darkness and the infinite arrays of stars that gave all travelers the illumination to travel under cover of night. The cold wind kept him focused as it drew the heat out of his hands and scratched at his cheeks. Astrid's head rested against his shoulder, the unconscious head atop the unconscious body that he was _technically_ kidnapping...

No. He was doing the right thing. He couldn't just wander the world knowing he was leaving her behind. Granted she hates him. Granted she was going to hate him even more for this. Granted Toothless hated him for this. Granted his entire village was going to hate him for this.

But if he could at least show one other person that dragons were good, that the war was pointless and that Berkian life was doomed, it would be a victory. He stuffed down his own more emotional desires for the moment. He wasn't doing this because he held out some vain and hopeless love for her and because even despite everything she had done to him he couldn't imagine not being near her every day.

He was doing this because he wanted to save her life, and give her the better one she deserved.

_::So, where to now?::_

Hiccup hunched down and looked over the wide expanse of ocean before him as Berk fell behind the horizon. It was a good question, it needed a good answer.

"Wherever the wind takes us." He let the sappy poetry pass into the wind as he stretched his neck, taking a deep breath to ease his nerves as home vanished beyond the waves. This was it; there was no turning back now. The world awaited this traveler, welcoming him, Toothless and a reluctantly taken soul into the endless possibilities that lay beyond the shores of Berk. Toothless continued onward as the last rays of sunlight faded from the sky. The stars shimmered with anticipation, the moon glowed with high expectations as a frightened boy, annoyed dragon, and unconscious girl chased the horizon into the night.

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

**Cover art by Datkef on Devinatart**

**Beta: Writer for the Tylwyth Teg**

**I do not claim any ownership of the "How to Train Your Dragon" Franchise, all rights go to their respective owners. I am just a humble, insane writer trying to craft an epic tale in my favorite universe, hope you enjoy it.**

**-Mc.**


	2. Wake Up Call

Ice. Stoick needed some ice.

His head throbbed with every heartbeat as he stumbled through his kitchen. Last night had been long but joyous. His son Hiccup was going to be killing a Monstrous Nightmare today. _His_ son- whom he had always doubted would ever prove himself much of anything- was going to become a man, going to become a true Viking. Stoick still couldn't quite believe it.

All in the course of a few weeks and almost exclusively in Stoick's absence Hiccup had suddenly transformed from a runt, a nuisance, a constant inconvenience into one of the best dragon fighters Berk had ever seen. The father still couldn't quite believe it, couldn't believe that this was_ his_ son that was going to kill the Nightmare today. For the first time since Hiccup's birth, Stoick felt genuine pride in his little Hiccup, even if he was still for the most part a...well...hiccup.

He had spent the night with the rest of the village veterans, sharing mead and tales of how the recent and as always failed endeavor to find the dragon's nest had gone. They had lost many a good villager this time, and the grieving spouses and children of those that now shared jubilation with Odin saddened the chief. His spirits were raised though by how those that stayed behind had spoken with a newly acquired fondness for his son, the screw up turned soon to be dragon killer. There were no jokes, no ridicule, and no reason for Stoick to hide his face whenever his son was mentioned. Nothing but praise and respect for Hiccup for the first time since his birth.

The day was still young but rapidly approaching in full force. Stoick knew he'd have to wake Hiccup up to prepare for the fight soon; but he figured he'd let his son sleep as long as possible to rest up for the fight. Normally Stoick preferred to wake his son as soon as he rose in order to acclimate him to the way a chief was supposed to function, but was so overcome with joy that he opted to indulge his son for just one morning.

Because it was _his_ son, Hiccup, who was going to be killing the Nightmare. He had developed so quickly to have beaten out even Astrid Hofferson, who had been the village favorite for just about everything since she could swing an axe. Stoick grinned at thinking about how _his_ son was going to show up Astrid Hofferson for once and finally give the Haddock line some pride after fifteen years of failure. Stoick was going to see Haldor Hofferson scowl for once when he saw the opportunity that should have been granted to his apparently perfect daughter went to Hiccup instead. The Hofferson patriarch had been an annoyance in Stoick's side for years, and the fact that his underdog of a son had outdone the eternally lauded Astrid was perhaps the sweetest thing about this whole day.

He frowned as he realized there was no way he'd have any ice still frozen around the house. A hangover was never the best way to start off such a momentous day, but it was inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. He had endured worse pains of body and soul before, a headache was nothing that a serious Viking couldn't handle on his own.

Stoick stood a moment in silence in his kitchen, hands on his hips as he gave a long, tired sigh. Today was the day, the day his son became a man. The day he truly became _his_ son, Stoick's son. They had both waited for this day for so long. Stoick knew his son was always trying to live up to his expectations, always trying to be the Viking Stoick wanted him to be. It hadn't been easy on either of them. Stoick had never exactly been the most expressive or supportive when it came to Hiccup to achieving his goal. But that was what Stoick had thought best. A true Viking after all became so only by his own designs. By his own desire and by acting on that desire. Stoick helped Hiccup by not helping him, by forcing his boy to achieve his dreams by himself. A Viking only became a Viking by acting like one.

Granted Hiccup still wasn't entirely acting in the true Viking way, but Stoick had a feeling that was going to start changing after this fight. After _his_ son killed the Nightmare and started his way on the path of true Viking-hood. _His_ son. _His_ little Hiccup. It was a truly humbling feeling, and Stoick-though he'd never admit to it-felt his eyes become the slightest bit watery at the impending moment of pride and celebration that awaited them. So long a struggle, but the payoff was worth it. The gods never gave a man more than he could bare, and both Haddock men had proven this in the trials of dragon training and fatherhood, Tyr and Odin were surely smiling upon them.

A rapturous pounding came from the front door and in turn a fierce throbbing emanated from Stoick's head. He turned towards the wooden portal as another round of knocking reverberated through the walls and within the chief's cranium.

"Stoick? Y'up?"

The chief opened the front door and found Gobber, his trusted friend and honorary uncle to Hiccup standing at an expectant attention. The chief could see the jubilation writ just as much upon the blacksmith's face as it so surely was upon the chief's.

"Morning Gobber."

"Ah now you can't be hung-over on the big day Stoick! Get yourself in motion, those last few preparations aren't going to take care of themselves you know!" Gobber was as direct and to the point as always when he entered the house.

"Ah I can't believe it. Hiccup. It's going to be a big day for him...I'm so proud." Gobber took a moment to appreciate the occasion and relishing in his belief that it was _his_ _own_ distinct manner of teaching that had made his apprentice into the dragon conqueror that he was.

"Aye I am too Gobber."Stoick came around to the side of his friend and placed a hand of friendship on his shoulder."Never thought I'd see the day."

"Yes, and if you don't wake Hiccup up he'll sleep right through it. Come on, he can sleep what once he's made himself a man don't you think?"

Stoick let his hand slide off of Gobber and groaned as he made his way to the stairs. He supposed his friend was right. No point in being groggy on such a big day, best to be alert and determined. Stoick started ascending the stairs to Hiccup's room as Gobber moved over to the kitchen table. Stoick couldn't help but smile as he neared the door. This was the last morning. The last morning he would wake up with his son being the failure. Today was the last day that Hiccup would have to strive for his attention in vain. Today was the day that Hiccup, _his_ son became a Viking.

And he wasn't in his room.

The absence of any body in the stripped down bed startled Stoick who was quick to glance around the room with a surprised expression. There was something _very_ off about the chamber, as though any semblance of life or habitation had been hastily ripped from it. Stoick had just checked on the room yesterday when he had returned from the hunt and had found it perfectly normal. What the Hel had Hiccup done?

_Don't tell me he's gone off hunting for trolls again has he?_

The room was heavily emptied. Hiccup's sketch journals and pencils weren't at his desk. The sheets were off his bed along with the pillow. Stoick opened the boy's closet, only to find most of his clothes were gone. The room appeared stripped of its very essence, no longer the chamber of a teenaged boy but an unoccupied space in Stoick's house, as though Hiccup's presence had been completely eradicated.

"Hiccup?" He called one more time, his voice trying to remain calm as panic began to set in. Something was _very_ wrong, and Stoick began to fear the worst. With so much gone, it was as though his son had tried to take his whole life with him, that he had packed so as to leave, for whatever insane reason Stoick could not determine.

Stoick's attention was drawn back to the bed, where at the head the helmet the father had given his son a few days ago rested, placed where the absent pillow would be. Why wouldn't the boy take something as useful as a helmet with him, considering everything else was missing? Stoick rushed back for the stairs and leaped down them frantically, a dozen disastrous scenarios rushing through his head.

"Gobber, H-Hiccup's not in his room, and half his stuff is gone!"

The blacksmith's attention remained fixed on a piece of dried animal hide that rested on the table. Stoick had seen it when he woke up, but had ignored it amidst his headache.

"Uh...Stoick...I can't read it but...isn't this Hiccup's writing?"

Though Gobber was like most other villagers illiterate, he did take note of the way Hiccup would often write during down time at the forge. He had to admit that the kid had a distinguished manner of portraying the runes, even if Gobber could hardly read any of them without asking for help. Stoick quickly rushed forward and grabbed the parchment from Gobber's hand, ascertaining that it was indeed his son's style. Gobber paid close attention as the chief began to read the runes, noticing how Stoick's eyes began to narrow and his brow tighten the longer he read.

_Dad,_

_You were right. I am many things, but a dragon killer is not one of them. Despite what everyone else believes, I did shoot down a Night Fury a few weeks ago. I found him in the woods and I really did try to kill him. But I couldn't. I let him go instead and later found him wounded in a cove, unable to fly. I made him a false wing to let him do so, and the two of us have since bonded into friends. I studied him, and used what I could learn to peacefully subdue dragons without hurting them. I can't kill them dad, and I can no longer see any real purpose for our war with them after developing this friendship. I can't kill the Nightmare today, nor any dragon for that matter. I'm sorry I've let you down after you heard everything that was built up about me these last few weeks, but I can't see how this is any is different from how it's always been. I've never really been your son, never really been a Viking. I and my best friend have thus left Berk to escape the fighting in the hopes that one day the rest of Berk will be willing to understand what I now know about dragons. I know it's cowardly. I know it's weak. I know it isn't the Viking way. But this is who I am dad, and always have been. I thought about trying to show you all the truth, but I know that Berk isn't ready to accept it yet. I can only hope that you and the island can find your own way to peace one day. If that ever happens, I will return. But until then, goodbye._

_Son_

Stoick began to tighten his grip around the parchment, crinkling the edges as a scowl ran deeply across his face.

"Well, w-w-what does it say Stoick?" Gobber asked, concerned for the sudden change of expression on his friends face.

"He's gone. He's gone Gobber." The chief murmured in a whisper that conveyed more rage than the loudest of roars.

"What do you mean gone?"

Stoick stepped beyond the table, tossing the parchment back down with fury as he growled before responding.

"He's-He's befriended a _dragon_. He's flown away with it." The chief punched forward into a wall, doing more damage to the wood than his own battle worn knuckles and shaking the house as result. Gobber looked on at his distraught friend in disbelief at the statement.

"Gone? With a dragon."

"The one time any of his stupid inventions works...it actually brings down a Night Fury. And what does he do?! He _befriends_ it!" Stoick punched the wall again in a rage, trying to keep some composure but failing horribly.

How could he do this? Stoick had always known his son to be rather un-Viking like, but to the extent that he'd actually forgo the very essence of their culture and give himself over to a dragon? Everyone in the village knew that dragons could cast spells on simple minds, spells that lured you into their talons before they carried you away to be eaten. That was how Stoick had lost his wife Valka fifteen years ago. That was how Hiccup had been left without a mother, how Stoick had been left without the love of his life. It had been stolen by a dragon.

And now his son had fallen into the same trap, of being enticed by the scions of Loki right into the maw of the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself. The gods had apparently not been satisfied that Stoick had one half of his life taken by dragons; they just _had_ to take the other half by the same method. The gods seemed to have a rather twisted sense of humor.

Stoick breathed deeply as he pressed his face against the wall, Gobber looking on in silence. _His_ son, all he had left from Valka was gone now, falling victim to the same weakness of his wife.

Weakness. It was because Hiccup was _weak._

_"I know it's cowardly. I know it's weak. I know it isn't the Viking way. But that is who I am, and always have been."_

He was right. In this one act of betrayal Hiccup had acted more like himself than ever before. This was wrong, different, weak, un-Viking like. It was everything Hiccup embodied. In this one instance Hiccup was being the most like himself he could possibly, living up to his name perfectly.

He deserved whatever fate befell him. Whatever the Night Fury was intending to do to him was entirely because Hiccup was too weak to act like a true Viking. Stoick had used the same logic of thought to help him get over Valka's death. She had fallen into the same trap, fallen to the same weakness. She was probably where Hiccup had got it from. And Hiccup was going to suffer the same fate as her, just the kind of fate someone so weak should deserve. Stoick had married into a bloodline that was weak, and fathered a weak son as a result.

"Uh...Stoick?" Gobber asked, cautious not to be too demanding considering what he knew about the situation. "If-if he's gone...what about..."

Stoick turned with a controlled rage in his eye, stuffing down his anger for the moment and trying to focus back on the present, leaving the past of the previous night to be figured out later. "Astrid came in second in training right?"

"Uh...yes."

"Good. She'll kill the Nightmare then. At least someone on this island can live up the Viking name." Stoick spat out with bile. He was still furious at this act by his son, but in the end Hiccup was right. Stoick didn't want a son who not going to live up to the family name. Not going to live up to his Viking heritage. If he was going to disrespect the Viking name, then he didn't deserve it in the first place. Didn't deserve to be called the son of Stoick the Vast. Didn't deserve the helmet that he had received a few nights prior which now rested forgotten on the barren bed.

At least Hiccup wasn't pretentious enough to take the helmet with him. If anything, he was leaving Stoick in a state of agreement. They could both agree that Hiccup wasn't good enough to be Stoick's son, not good enough to be a Viking. For the first and only time since the father and son had drifted apart, they could both agree on the same thing.

"Come on Gobber, let's go wake Haldor and get Astrid ready for today. One way or another that Nightmare is dying." Stoick was visibly distraught as he neared the door, warranting a concerned hand from Gobber who sought to console his friend.

"Stoick are you-"

"I'm _fine_ Gobber. Now get out of my way…" Stoick let his last word threaten the blacksmith enough for the hand to be withdrawn. The large chief marched out the door, defying the joyful appearance of the sunrise with a dismissive scowl. Gobber followed behind, still trying to understand this preposterous occurrence.

Haldor Hofferson's house lay on the opposite side of the village, a sizeable walk away. Stoick sighed, holding back his tide of anger for the moment. He would save it for later that day, when he announced that his son was a traitor to the rest of the village. It would almost certainly be met with cheers by all as Stoick read the note, exposing his former son as the traitorous liar that he was and forever condemning his name and legacy in the annals of Berk's history. For he was no longer _his_ son, no longer a Viking.

"Well Astrid, I hope you're ready…"

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

_::If she does not wake up by tomorrow morning we are dumping her, end of story.::_

"Toothless..."

_::I am not dragging around what might as well be dead meat for two days in a row. I want to be able to fly at my best speed, and she is prohibitive to this end.::_

"And what I'm just supposed to leave her somewhere?"

_::Just throw her in the ocean. Is this not the way you humans typically dispose of garbage?::_

"She is _not_ garbage!"

Hiccup's shout was quickly carried off into the distance by the wind and rendered null by the ocean waves. He and Toothless had bounded from sea stack to sea stack throughout the day, just trying to find their bearings and get as far away from Berk as possible. They had flown in silence, Hiccup not wanting to have to confront Toothless' ire about Astrid being dragged along with them. Though Hiccup was being defiant to the dragon, he betrayed his own sense of worry at the circumstances.

He really, _really_ needed Astrid to wake up, and soon. Not so much out of a fear of having to leave her behind, but out of basic concern for her health. Had he really hit her _that_ hard? No. he couldn't have. He was _Hiccup_; he didn't have any physical strength of which to speak. There was no way he could ever knock Astrid Hofferson out cold.

Except he had. He had and now he had stolen her away from Berk because...

He sighed, struggling to explain his reasoning or lack thereof. This was right and yet_ so_ wrong. He shouldn't have done this, yet he felt as though he should have. He could only hope she would be understanding. Once she woke up, they could talk about this like reasonable people discussing reasonable things. As reasonable as explaining why he had knocked her out cold and stolen her away from her father and home and future could be of course.

_::Can you at least try and explain to me what she brings to this endeavor?::_

They were settled on a lone sea stack, a small arched island in the midst of the churning waters below them. A single tree had managed to establish itself on the battered stone, and Hiccup had used some branches both already fallen and freshly ripped from the elm to keep a small fire going. Though Toothless provided plenty of heat for him, the blaze was kept both for the sake of illumination, as well as warming Astrid's body which lay on the other side beneath the one blanket. He poked it with the largest branch he could spare as he spoke.

"Look she's...she'll be like a third back."

_::A what?::_

"Um...so I've got your back, and you've got mine. Right?"

_::Yes_...::

"But then who's watching both of us? See? She'll have both of our backs. A third back.

_::Is that supposed to imply that I cannot take care of both of us?::_

Hiccup kept silent and poked the fire again, not having an acceptable answer to Toothless' question.

_::Are you sure that is the reason you brought her with us?::_

Hiccup sighed, knowing exactly the accusations he was about to endure.

"And what is _that _supposed to mean?"

_::This IS the girl you told me about before is it not? The one that made you...oh how did you put it...feel 'as though your heart were like iron beaten beneath her hands?'::_

Hiccup growled. He really sucked at poetry, but he never thought he'd have to deal with literary criticism from a dragon. He also never thought he'd ever down a Night Fury and end up being able to talk to it though, so discussing the merits of prose was certainly the least of surprises.

"Well...okay yes she _is_ that girl. But that doesn't mean that I-

_::Oh Moon Goddess yes it does! Here I thought you were actually a fairly reasonable person and yet here you are making an irrational decision all because you want to mate with this girl!::_

"Toothless!"

"Mmmhhh."

Astrid stirred opposite the fire, immediately drawing both the boy and the dragon's attention. The argument subsided for the moment as both turned with anticipatory green eyes to the blond before them, rolling in her sleep and ascending to consciousness.

"Astrid?" Hiccup got up from sitting against Toothless and navigated his way around the fire, grabbing his water pouch and kneeling close to Astrid whose eyes began to flutter open. She looked around skeptically a few moments, trying to ascertain where she was and why she felt as though she had been hit in the head with a rock.

"H-Hiccup?" She growled dryly, still unsure of her surroundings.

"Here." He brought the water pouch to her lips, letting some of the liquid drain into her mouth as she lifted her head up with pain. A pulsing headache roared within her skull, and she still wasn't quite sure why she was outside near the ocean, which was as much as she'd gathered at the moment.

"Hiccup...w-where are...who-" She stopped as she saw the black figure sprawled out opposite the small fire, the flickering of the flame giving and ethereal and abstract composition to whatever was-

_Night Fury._

"Look out!" Her warrior instincts kicked back in and she tried to get up to prepare for combat with the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself.

She tried to push up, but found her head immediately felt light and her vision quickly failing with every inch she tried to gain. She dropped back to the grass below, finding a set of hands gently holding on to her and lowering her down to lessen the impact.

"Hey, hey easy Astrid. It's alright. He's not going to hurt you." Hiccup stalled a second as he contemplated his next words, wondering if it was even worth saying them. "_I'm_ not going to hurt you."

She looked at him bewildered, a combination of her uneasy head, strange circumstances, and the lack of understanding she felt towards his word. Hiccup pleaded with his face for some understanding, for some decorum in which he could explain what had happened. If only by virtue of Astrid's exhaustion, he was granted his wish.

"Wh-what? What is the...what is the dragon...wait..." She trailed off; Hiccup could see that her memory was starting to kick back in as a recollection of a strange encounter in a cove flooded her conscious mind.

"No..." She tried to get up to either fight or run away-not knowing how little space on this island there actually was. Hiccup was quick to grab her shoulders and force her down, the strange and uncomfortable feeling in her head making such a task even easier for him as she swooned back to the pillow Hiccup had placed under her head.

"Easy Astrid. You might...taken a...you took a hard hit to the head. But you're okay now. Alright? Just...relax. Please." Hiccup took his hands away from Astrid as one of her arms swiped them away before she placed a hand on her forehead, groaning at the incessant throbbing that permeated it every time she tried to get up.

"We-"

"What the Hel did you do to me?" She cut him off, more and more of her usual self coming forward as her mind began fully absorbing her surroundings and questioning how she had gotten here in the first place.

"Okay look...um..." Hiccup stalled, running a hand through his hair as he tried to put this as best he could. He had been anticipating this all day, but that didn't make it easier when the moment actually came. "So...you've met Toothless already."

He gestured behind him to the shadow that came in and out of vision with the flickering of the small fire. Only two large, green eyes were directly visible to Astrid, and the ominous and brooding nature of the emerald orbs caused her to fidget in position. She knew getting up wasn't going to help and it would only lead to the sensation that she was going to faint, so she resolved to remain still for the moment. If she could figure out what was going on, maybe she could find a way out of here.

"So...yeah. I tried to talk to you about all..._this_." He motioned back to the dragon again and then to himself"…But you kind of...tried to kill me. Which I totally understand! I mean I know this looks...really bad...so yeah you were strangling me and I started panicking and then I...kind of...hit you on the head with a rock. And...maybe I... knocked you out cold as a result."

Hiccup tried to crack a smile as he leaned back, all crooked teeth and nervous demeanor. Astrid eyed him incredulously, unsure of what to make of the ludicrous sounding statement. _Hiccup?_ Knocking _Astrid Hofferson_ out cold? Impossible. And yet here she was, on some strange island in the middle of the ocean, with a dragon and the nervous boy who apparently rode it. Oh gods, if she was here then that meant...did she actually ride that thing?

"Wait...so then where are we?" She asked dryly. She grabbed the water pouch still by her side and with some struggle got the nozzle close enough to her mouth that she could take some small sips from it. Hiccup kept his eyes to the ground, contemplating how to best explain what he had done.

"Uh...about a day's travel by air from Berk, somewhere probably near the Farei islands if I'm judging the distance correctly. If you mean actual location...just some piece of rock we found and decided to settle down on for the night."

"We?"

"Well...I mean Toothless was getting tired."

_::Indeed I was; now if only I had not been dragging around two people on my back at the same time maybe I would not have been and we could have kept going...::_

Hiccup ignored Toothless' complaining and carried on, knowing that for the moment he had the situation under control. Or at least as much control as possible.

"Wait...so if...we're here... and not on Berk...then..." Astrid began to put the pieces together, and the picture that was formed disturbed her. Hiccup was quick to see the shock growing in her eyes, and tried to ease her into reality.

"You-"

"Yeah I may have-"

"You kidnapped me!" She nearly yelled as anger quickly rose in the back of her throat, rage throwing off the blanket of fatigue and bewilderment that had been holding her firmly in the embrace of confusion. Though she still couldn't move her head much without the world spinning, she growled at him and tried to lash out with her arm, finding he lay just a few inches beyond her reach.

"Well uh_...yes…._but it was an accident!"

Astrid looked at him in disbelief a moment. "How the Hel do you _accidently_ kidnap someone?" She fired at him while he stumbled back towards Toothless, who heaved in amusement at the display.

_::Well I see she does not like us very much then. May we dispose of her now?::_

"No we are not _disposing _of her Toothless, calm down." Astrid looked on, perplexed as Hiccup seemed to be answering a question that hadn't been asked. Was he talking to the dragon? Was the dragon talking to him? She pushed such questions to the back of her mind as Hiccup stalled in conversation. She had to get back on track and figure out what the Hel was going on.

"So you kidnapped me then. Is that it?" She was quick to try and get Hiccup to actually admit his actions, hoping that guilt would quickly convince the boy that he had committed a great wrong.

"Well...uh yeah... but I have a very good reason!" Hiccup knew that such a thing sounded absurd. A good reason for kidnapping?' Idiotic? Yes. But Hiccup had to put his best foot forward on this matter, and try to convince both Astrid-and himself-that he had been justified in doing what he did. Astrid stared him down incredulously, waiting to hear this pathetic argument.

"A good reason? Really?"

"Well...uh...alright look Astrid...I...I know it may not seem like it now, but don't think of this as a kidnapping, thinking of it as...saving."

"Saving? How the Hel are you _saving_ me?"

"Look...dragons aren't what we think they are. _He_ isn't what you think he is. When I shot him down...I thought I could kill him, thought I could maybe make my father proud. But they're not what you think Astrid. They are...amazing, intelligent creatures that if you just got to know and understand you'd see that...that it's all pointless Astrid."

"Pointless?" Astrid had by this point relaxed back into the pillow beneath her head, having slowly turned on her side to face Hiccup more easily.

"It's...it's pointless Astrid. The war, the fighting, there's no reason for it. All the dragons are doing is bringing back food for their leader. It's this...giant dragon or something that controls them and-"

"Wait wait...how do you know this?" Astrid stopped Hiccup in his rambling, immediately picking up on his words. How could he know such a thing? Was he making it up? Had he actually seen this supposed monster?

"Um...well Toothless...kind of...told me."

A still moment passed in silence between the two as Astrid absorbed the ludicrous sounding statement.

"W-What?"

"Yeah he...uh...he and I can communicate with each other. It's this really weird thing where we can hear each other's thoughts or something. I can't really explain it well but-"

"Then let the dragon tell it then." Astrid again cut Hiccup off. She wanted proof; no more of Hiccup's annoying nasally voice and his vague descriptions. For all she knew the boy had gone mad, this was all part of some sick delusion that Loki had inspired in him.

_::My, quite the anxious little thing is she not?::_

"Easy Toothless, she's alright trust me."

Astrid looked on with skepticism as Hiccup seemed to talk to himself again before quickly turning his head back up to address Astrid.

"Look it's...it's not that simple. The way he explained it is that he has to establish this kind of bond with you. _He_ has to choose _you_ to be worthy of hearing what he has to say. When he established this bond with me, it was because he thought I was good enough to talk to him or something like that."

_::Although considering the fact that you have made a decision as brash and foolish as kidnapping this girl I am beginning to reconsider...::_

"I thought you said it was permanent."

_::It is, although I would be greatly dismayed if it turned out to be a poor decision on my part. It would be the first one in quite a while.::_

"Anyways..." Hiccup looked back from Toothless to Astrid, who watched the dragon curiously. The dragon was _talking _to him, had deemed _him_ worthy of talking to. How the runt of the village had actually managed to earn the trust of the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself continued to elude her. "...yeah. I'm...saving you Astrid. Saving you from having to fight dragons. Saving you from a pointless war and all that. I thought...I figured maybe if-if you weren't there then I wouldn't have to worry about you when I was..." Astrid's eyes narrowed on him as he poked the fire gently, realizing his awkward words.

_Okay, maybe don't lead with that. Think of something else, quickly!_

"I thought, maybe it would be better to save you from a pointless war than to let you stay there and die. And since you were...since I had kind of ...you were unconscious I figured what the Hel? You know? Just, might as well save you while I had the opportunity!"

Hiccup half sighed and half wheezed as he finished. This was not turning out as well as it could have, but then again there was weren't many ways in which this _could_ go well could it?

"So...here we are then..."

Astrid looked at him with a jaw so open that it threatened to come dislodged and collapse on the stiff grass beneath her. She had been kidnapped. Kidnapped by Hiccup. _Hiccup_. Hiccup had downed, befriended and trained a Night Fury, had abandoned his people and _somehow_ kidnapped her in the process. That part was still a bit much to get over, but whatever loss of pride or prestige she had suffered for it could wait. She needed to find a way to get out of this situation, needed some way to get out of this living nightmare. She would not be a part of this sick charade no matter how much Hiccup may have wanted it.

She tried to push herself up again, but found her body heavy and her head light. She grunted as she saw her vision distort and her body fell back against the grass again. At least there was a pillow there to cushion her head against the impact. At least this kidnapper had the decency to give her a pillow.

"Easy Astrid..._please_." Hiccup begged. Astrid groaned as she turned back to her side, taking a moment to let the newfound throbbing throughout her skull recede, using the constant time of the nearby waves to lull her back into a conversational state.

"Take me back."

She demanded bluntly, certain that once she made a stern demand that Hiccup-the overly shy walking disaster that may or may not have a backbone that he was-would concede to her demands. He clearly seemed to know what he had done was wrong. All it would take was some realizing of who was the stronger between the two again, and all could at least go back to some semblance of normalcy. She could go back to her previous life of training to be the best dragon killer in Berk's history, and he could go off on his little blasphemous escapade and get himself killed.

She rubbed her eyes, closing them and shielding her vision from the illustrious shine of the fire. An assortment of sparks flew up as a stick collapsed into the blaze, the small bits fading away into the darkness as a long moment passed. Then, audible if only by its high pitch came a wavering voice from the other side of the fire. Astrid didn't make it out at first, and opened her eyes to stare Hiccup down and make him answer with an actual word.

"What?"

"N-N-No...ooo...ooo?" He stuttered out, blatantly unsure of himself. Such defiance, even if cowardly immediately drew Astrid's ire. Was he daring to refuse her? _Her?_ She who had been an integral part of beating him down ever since they were nine years old to the point that he had become the village recluse? _He _was denying_ her?_

"What...was that?"

"N-No." Hiccup straightened himself, vainly trying to appear more authoritative than he was. It made his entire body feel weak just to say this one word, yet at the same time it made him feel stronger than Thor himself! There was something about being able to say that word to her for the first time ever. Or at least the first time where he was actually _defying_ her, actually making his own decision against her will. It was terrifying, yet exhilarating.

He saw the rage developing in the back of her eyes-those beautiful blue eyes-and almost felt an urge to recant. He had dared to anger the person that was clearly his superior. And yet she was helpless before him. _He _was in control now. _He _made the decisions, and to Hel if she disagreed.

"No. I'm not taking you back to Berk Astrid." He could feel Toothless deflate behind him. There was definitely going to be Hel to pay with his dragon later, but for now the beast simply accepted the situation and rested, weary from a long day and night of flight.

_"WHAT!?"_ Despite her weary body she could still manage enough energy to yell with most of her old strength, even if it did make her head rock in misery again. Hiccup took advantage of the time she needed to recuperate to continue asserting himself.

"No. No I'm-I'm not taking you back to Berk. You're coming with me. You're coming with _us_."

It took a good long pause for Astrid to understand the words if just out of their sheer tenacity. He may have kidnapped her in a panic, but he in no way had the balls to actually _force_ her to keep going with him. Granted he had a dragon, but he didn't have the will to _use _it.

"No I'm not. You're taking me back to Berk." She was adamant, almost growling in her demands. This wasn't the way this was supposed to work. He was not supposed to disobey. She and the others had beaten him down to the point that he _always_ submitted to whatever they commanded of him. The very nerve of him to say such a thing was almost insulting. All that hard work of keeping him subdued, keeping him out of the village's and more importantly out of her way and for what? So that he could dare to disobey her just because he had a Night Fury for a friend? True all things considered that _was_ a pretty valid reason for some newfound confidence, but so what?!

"No I'm not. Look I-" Hiccup stalled, wracking his brain for a good justification for his confidence. This couldn't just be because he thought that _maybe_ somehow, even if eons had to pass them by there was some slight chance of them actually being more than simple friends. He thus decided to start simply. Friendship was as good a place to start as any then."Astrid I…I know this doesn't seem like it right now but please just trust that I know what I'm doing. I-I want to see the world Astrid. I want to take Toothless and just see what else is out there, to discover new places to just…just…I don't know just enjoy life for once."

He sighed and looked back down towards the fire, feeling weak as he continued contemplating his own actions."It's…I'm not like you Astrid. I'm not cut out for life in a war zone. I want to see what other people do for a living, I want to see what life's like without the constant threat of death and destruction around. And you should come with me." The last statement sounded forced even to him, but he knew that it had to be the best option. For him and for her, escaping Berk was the only way to survive.

"Come _with _you? Are you serious?" In the deeper parts of Astrid's subconscious where weakness and fear were stuffed down and locked away, a small bit began to escape. It was a growing and panicked fear that maybe this was it. She had been kidnapped, and there was no escape. No. No that couldn't be it. She was Astrid Hofferson damnit! She submitted to no one, least of all the village runt.

"Like Hel I'm coming with you. No you're taking me back to Berk the moment I can stand up without feeling like I'm going to vomit my brains out!" She was stern in her demand, refusing to accept any reality other than her escaping Hiccup's clutches. She tried to stare him down from the other side of the fire, attempting to intimidate him with a look she knew could easily wear him down into submission.

"No. You're coming with me." He answered back again, refusing to waver. His heart felt as though it were about to fly out of his chest as it pumped heavily. He was saying _no_ to Astrid. It was a beautifully terrifying thing to do, and the more he did it, the more he found he enjoyed it.

Astrid knew she had to up the stakes. She had to get out of here, had to show him who was in control here. This wasn't happening to her. _She_ was not going to be the accomplice to a traitor or the pet of a kidnapper. No matter how this ended, this ended in _her_ favor."Or what? You can't _make_ me come with you!"

"I don't have to." Hiccup could feel the gears of genius working in the back of his mind, could feel an overwhelming ecstasy of defiance and freedom surging through him. "Because you_ will_ come with me."

Astrid wanted to scream at him, wanted to punch him and wanted to _make him_ let her go. At the same time, there was something strange about Hiccup now. This determination was so odd of him, as though he actually believed in the nonsense he was saying about keeping her safe and exploring the world. It _was_ nonsense of course, but he still wanted to do it. Befriend a dragon, kidnap a girl and travel from here to the ends of Midgard? Definitely crazy, but as equally audacious.

"Like Hel I will. And besides, what are going to do to me if I don't?"

"I don't have to do anything Astrid…you're kind of in an impossible position as it is." Hiccup motioned with his eyes to the island around him, nervously making it known just where they were. The dim light of the fire could just manage to illuminate the nearby cliffs that fell into the roaring ocean below. Astrid knew this island was small, but it now occurred to her just _how_ small it really was. Thinking about it deeply, she had to admit to herself that she most likely wouldn't last long at all if left here to her own devices. Hiccup was passively threatening her. Go with him and _maybe_ live, or stay here and _definitely_ die. Neither option was the most appealing.

"You can either come with me…and live and… enjoy life...or you can stay here on this island…and starve to death." His voice squeaked on the last word, himself terrified at the prospect of losing her. Regardless, he still had to keep up a front of confidence and determination for now. If he was going to threaten his long time crush with death, he had best do it properly after all.

"So…there you go." Hiccup shrugged his shoulders as he leaned back towards Toothless again. He felt as though his stomach were about to explode with anxiety, but the touch of his friend's scales reassured him. _He_ was in control now. He was going to save her; he was going to show her everything that dragons and the world could give her. He was going to show her what _he_ could give her. Friendship, the world and some adventure. How could any girl turn that down?

"Ugh…I hate you."

"Thank you I was unaware." He mumbled back. Despite a decade of abuse at the hands of most everyone, he could still manage a witty comeback when necessary. It was his best and only way of coping with the daily grind.

Astrid grumbled before turning over to her back, staring up at the few stars visible above the intermittent clouds that dimply shown an eerie grey in the moonlight. She closed her eyes and squeezed them hard, holding out a vain hope that this was all just a dream. She wanted to wake up, to be in her home with her father and go out and practice and live the life _she_ wanted. Not this strange nightmare she had been dragged into.

"Astrid…" Hiccup whispered quietly, almost loosing the words to the wind as the waves continued to pummel the rocks below. "...please…just trust me on this. It'll be for the best. I know it doesn't seem like it now but please…just trust me."

Astrid sighed into the darkness as silence befell the two. After a few minutes of no response, Hiccup finally decided that the night had to end.

"Look, now that I know you're alright I'm going to sleep, and I'd advise you do so too. It's going to be a long day tomorrow."

Astrid remained quiet across from him as Hiccup let the fire slowly die through the night. Though she too would fall back asleep in time, Astrid couldn't help but stay awake for a little while longer, trying to make sense of her situation in her mind.

Tomorrow she was probably going to have to climb on top of a dragon as the runt of the village passively forced her to come with him. She was going to be dragged away from everything she had ever known; her tribe, her father, her very life all to appease the delusions of her kidnapper. She couldn't really anticipate how the next few days or even tomorrow would go, but she knew above all, regardless of what happened, it was going to be different from any day that had come before.


	3. The Gentleman Kidnapper

"I'm not getting on that thing."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not!"

"Yes you are!" Astrid could see the fear Hiccup held in the back of his eyes as he defied her, even as he remained stalwart on the back of his Night Fury. Toothless was watching her with disgust as she approached, making it clear even without speaking that he viewed the girl with nothing but contempt.

"Astrid…you've already flown on him before, it's not like this is exactly a first time thing here." Hiccup tried diplomacy-one of the few things he considered himself half decent at-in order to try and coax Astrid up onto Toothless' back. They had spent the entire morning sleeping and waiting for Astrid to feel strong enough to walk. Now that she was finally-barely-able to, Hiccup didn't want to waste anymore time in delay. He wanted to keep flying as far and fast as he could.

More importantly, he had to get Astrid used to Toothless and the whole concept of flight as quickly as possible. He needed his prisoner to be comfortable, even if he hated thinking of her as a prisoner.

_::Well it appears as though she does not want to join us. Guess we better leave her then!::_ Toothless lowered himself to the ground and made to take off before Hiccup withdrew the pressure on the fake wing. The dragon slowly brought himself back to good posture as he realized he was being foiled by his own handicap.

_::That is not fair.::_

"Toothless she's coming with us! That's final!"

_::But WHY!?::_

"Because…" Hiccup tried to make his affirmation sound confident, but even he could hear the uncertainty in his voice. No. He had to stay resolute. He was doing this because he was going to save her from certain death. He was doing this because he was offering her a better life. He had to stay sure of himself.

He looked back to Astrid who was more than a little curious at the exchange Hiccup had had with the dragon, which appeared as nothing more than Hiccup talking to the dragon and addressing concerns that she could not hear.

"Look Astrid, it's not as scary as it appears. Just trust me…please." He extended a hand towards her, pleading with his gesture for her to accept him and everything he was offering. Her arms which had been crossed fell to her sides as she weighed her options again. She knew she wouldn't last on this heap of rock for long at all, that dehydration would probably get her in a few days time without any supply of fresh water. At the same time, she _could _refuse him and die. She would still have her honor and not have given herself over to this damned traitor and his demon.

On the other hand, if she _did_ get off this rock, there would almost certainly be other opportunities for escape. All she had to do was play the game for a little while and then there would be other chances for freedom, maybe even revenge…

_Alright, let's play along then…_

She walked forward and knocked Hiccup's hand away, earning her a low growl from Toothless as she climbed onto the saddle and found a tight spot between Hiccup and his light bag of supplies. Did he really think he could survive with these little provisions? She settled in as she looked around at this awkward instance. Her feet were off the ground, her body resting atop the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself, her life in the hands of _Hiccup_ of all people.

_::Ugh…fat little thing she is.::_

"You alright Astrid?"

"Uh…still feel light headed but not too much, now fly." She dug her heel into Toothless' side, earning a violent shake from the dragon that almost threw both her and Hiccup off.

_::Insolent child DARES command ME to fly? Honestly Hiccup what purpose does bringing her along serve us?::_

"Toothless I've already explained this to you." Hiccup turned his head back to Astrid as she gripped her skull in agony. Even if she could walk, being tossed around like that would be doing her no favors.

"You've got to be…gentle with Toothless. He's uh…_sensitive_."

_::Sensitive to having to carry around an extra person for no damn reason...::_

Hiccup ignored the dragon's grumbling as he extended the false wing to its fullest extent and leaned down close to Toothless' head. "I know bud, but you said once you get high enough the burden becomes lighter doesn't it?"

_::I suppose…::_

"Good, now let's get going." He turned back to Astrid one last time, wearing a small smile as he anticipated what was to come. "You might want to hang on."

Rolling her eyes but fighting down a surge of fear, Astrid wrapped her arms around Hiccup's chest and pulled herself in close to him, taking in a deep breath as she prepared for the worst. She noticed the dragon's wings extending out on either side of her, a thick leathery hide extending into its full majesty which would shortly be dragging Astrid into a new world.

A few powerful gusts caused Astrid's entire body to jerk and clash against Hiccup's back as the dragon rapidly chased the fairest wind in a steep climb upwards. She pulled hard against Hiccup's chest, burying her face in his back as both the dragon's wings and her own heart beat faster and faster. Though she would rather die than admit it, she could hear herself whimpering as the wind rushed past her hair and she sensed the island fading away with each passing wing beat. She was convinced that if Hiccup heard that and tried to talk to her about it while in the air she would gladly jump to her death in the ocean. Instant death without honor or glory was still better than admitting she had actually _whimpered_.

Slowly, after the course of several minutes and a few false lulls in the steady ascent she started to notice that the dragon beat its wings no more, that the beast's heart was slowing beneath her and its wings keeping steady. The wind no longer rushed by in thick gusts that threatened to blow her off, but existed as a cold-if refreshing-stream that gently skirted along whatever parts of her body Hiccup himself did not obscure.

"It's alright Astrid, we'll mostly be cruising from here on out." Despite his calm assurances, Astrid still gripped him tight. Even if he was her kidnapper, he was still the only form of steady consolation she had for the moment, the only stable thing in this strange new world amongst the clouds.

"You can…you can let go now…if you want." Even if Hiccup enjoyed the touch of Astrid's hands on him, the feel of her well toned arms clutching tightly to his sides and-regardless of how immature it seemed-the small if firm mounds pressing into his back, he knew that the vista before her would work better to alleviate her worries than his meager soothing words. "It's alright, you're safe."

Astrid winced at his insolence, the fact that he acted so sympathetic towards her as though he were the dominant party. Granted he technically _was_, but this was all the more reason for her to be insulted. Not wanting to be seen as timid or weak-especially around _Hiccup_ of all people-she started to loosen her grip and righted herself up in the seat. She squinted as the wind rushed past her face, chilling her as she began to look around.

The sky was as cloudless in its midst as it was from the ground. She was surrounded by an endless expanse of azure as deep and luxurious as she knew her own eyes to be. Below her the water shown and sparkled in as equally rich a color, radiating with reflected light from the sun above that glowed at its zenith. Gentle bumps rolled through the luxurious blue fluid so far beneath her, oscillating the plane and giving life to the ever expanding horizon that the dragon chased. Nowhere could she escape the royal cobalt that seemed to go on forever. She let her hands fully slip from Hiccup's body as she breathed in the cold but indescribably fresh air that rolled over them both.

"See Toothless? Pretty fair flying conditions right?"

_::I agree to this.::_ The dragon's tone was overly transparent so as to show his dismay at the beautiful day. He had hoped that if the winds were choppy and the weather ill they would be forced to abandon the female that now rode with them. The dragon still couldn't comprehend any useful function for her save Hiccup using her as a tool for rutting-which the boy had made clear he had the desire for more times than the dragon was comfortable with. Despite this, Hiccup was going on about '_saving her'_ and '_giving her a better life'_. Toothless didn't understand why this whole expedition couldn't just be the two of them, him and Hiccup. For those brief few weeks since their first encounter that was all it had been, just he and his new human friend. They were ready to fly away _together_, just the two of them against the world as Hiccup had explained it.

Then this damned female had come along and gotten knocked unconscious and Hiccup was making a totally irrational decision to drag her along with them. She served no purpose other than what Hiccup was refusing to do with her-and what she would most likely refuse him if Toothless' understanding of Hiccup's relation to her meant anything at all. For now, all the dragon could do was to keep to himself and fly on. He was sure that Hiccup would see the error of his ways given time. Toothless just hoped that time would be sooner rather than later.

Astrid took in a deep breath as Hiccup straightened himself up on the saddle, enjoying the clear skies before them just as much as his reluctant companion.

"So…what do you think?" He asked nervously. He was almost certain that nobody could deny the awe that flight invoked, but then again this was still _Astrid_ he was talking to. He had kidnapped her after all, so that may hinder whatever efforts he made to win her grace.

Astrid was silent for the moment, considering the question. _She was flying!_ It was a truly indescribable experience for one having their virgin foray into the heavens. The endless vista before her seemed to go on towards infinity, the vibrant colors of the sky and sea never more clear and luscious than they were right now. The feeling of cool, life giving air whishing across her face as she felt herself growing giddy on the strange combination of light headedness and less oxygen at such an altitude. It was joyous, rapturous and captivating.

At the same time, it was still traitorous. Traitorous yet _so_ amazing! But she had to remain focused on her goal. Hiccup was still a traitor, still needed to die and suffer for what he had done to her. She had to keep playing the game, but that did not mean she couldn't enjoy it.

"It's…amazing."

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

The touchdown had been a tad aggressive, but nothing that could faze Astrid too much. It felt strange to be back on the ground again after spending much of the short afternoon in the air. The stillness of the air, the feel of solid earth under her feet, the very appearance of wilting foliage so different from the endless vistas of blue that had preceded the present felt almost foreign after being freed into the expanses of the sky for however short a time. It almost felt _wrong_ to be back on the earth when the majesty of flight was so close by. She inhaled the moist air, fresh from the ocean nearby. _Focus, just find your opportunity and use it._

"Grr…of course."

She turned to Hiccup who was kneeling down by Toothless' side. His suddenly bitter tone drew her attention.

"What is it?"

"The tension cord I use to hold out the false wing is coming undone, that's why we came in rough. Good thing it was only then though. If that thing had failed mid-air…yeesh." He stood up and pressed his fists into his back to relieve the pressure.

_::Is it bad?::_

"No, I managed to save some spare supplies for you when I was emptying out the pack. It won't take long to change it out, though I _should_ use a better adhesive this time..."

He groaned as he looked at his surroundings. He had brought them down in a meadow a short ways outside of a nearby town, where the high and thick brush would easily conceal them all. Astrid, finding more and more of her strength as time passed and she recovered from her blow to the head was now standing upright without much stress or effort.

"So, where are we exactly?" She kept close to Toothless and Hiccup for now, not wanting to betray the notion that she was going along with them.

"Let me check." Hiccup shrugged briefly before turning to his pack, opening it up and rummaging through it. While he kept himself busy, Astrid continued with her questions.

"What did you mean when you said you 'emptied out the pack?'"

Hiccup groaned as he tipped the basket over, still searching amidst a few poorly tucked away blankets and clothes. "Eh… Toothless made me empty out a lot of my supplies so that your uh…your weight could be accommodated for."

_::I did not MAKE you do anything, you simply offered to do away with your own provisions in order make yourself feel innocent for making me suffer in bringing her along…::_

"Oh you are _not_ suffering you big baby."

_::I am not!::_

"Are too and you know it."

_::You KNOW you are being unreasonable here?::_

"_Nobody_ is being unreasonable!"

Toothless huffed and made to lie down in the grass, lowly grumbling to himself about what a misfortunate turn his life had suddenly taken. Hiccup finally found what he was looking for and pulled out a parchment which he quickly laid out on the grass before him. The nature of it was quick to draw Astrid's attention and ire in an effort to belittle her kidnapper.

"You _stole _one of our maps?!"

"Of course not, I just had a few copies lying around and took one of those." Hiccup's response was quick and direct, as if stating some obvious fact he would have figured she would know. He got back to tracing lines on the map and calculating distance to himself.

"…oh." Astrid muttered as a response, not having expected to have been rebutted so quickly. "Wait, what do you mean copies?"

"Well when you and the other kids weren't pummeling me into the dirt or Gobber wasn't having me do forge work I spent a lot of time in the archives. I just kind of took to drawing my own versions of our maps as something to do in spare time. It kind of turned into a hobby of mine, and before you know it it's time to go and I've got a ton of spare maps to take with me!" He sounded prideful as he finished, and as Astrid walked over to inspect the map she could see why.

Though lacking in some of the finer detail that a more professional cartographer would imbue upon their creations, the parchment was without a doubt competent in its layout. A myriad of islands mostly familiar to Astrid spanned out around a central point, dominated by a large island she knew well enough to be Berk. She had seen this map plenty of times before to know it to be of the islands immediately surrounding her home, of the other inhabited isles of the arcipelago. She breathed a sigh of relief to see familiar images, until Hiccup's finger hit the edge of the hide and his head fell dejectedly.

"Damn, not this one."

He quickly rolled the skin back up and threw it into the basket before digging back in and pulling out another and laying it out where the previous map had just been. Astrid was dismayed to find this map was totally foreign to her in its appearance. She could vaguely recall having seen it before, but she had not gone over it with her father enough times to memorize it. It quickly frightened her that they had already flown off the map for all intents and purposes, that she had already been taken so far from home that an entirely different map was needed to track their location. Hiccup's finger again traced, this time from the top of the parchment towards the center. After taking a moment to look up and contemplate the distance some more, he nodded and smiled.

"Yeah, I thought so. Here we are."

"Where?"

"Here." He pointed to the land again, a skillfully drawn island with jagged shores that Astrid couldn't recognize. She stared at it again, the situation growing increasingly awkward with each quiet moment until Hiccup finally clarified it for her. Though Hiccup's finger kept stalwart under the identifying runes, they did little good for Astrid.

"Skye. We're in Skye."

"Ohhh….right. Skye." Astrid nodded her head slowly, drawing some suspicion from Hiccup but not enough for him to bother questioning her about it. She was more so concerned with how far they had already flown in what seemed like such a short amount of time. The fact that they were _already _beyond Astrid's furthest conception of the world was startling in how fast it had come. More so, it would be all the more difficult to return home now that they were so far away. Her chances to exact a quick revenge were slipping and rapidly. She had to find an opportunity to strike _and fast._

He picked out some silver coin from his pack, drawing a stare from Astrid bordering on the downright envious. All her life she had never seen much coin pass through her father's household, so much of it reserved for the villages few _jarls_ and for the trading of vital goods from nearby islands. She supposed it appropriate that Hiccup-being son of the chief after all-would carry so much with him. She suspected he had to have stolen some of it from his father, she did not think him above petty theft if he was brazen enough to kidnap a girl of all things. He turned it over in his hands, making sure he had enough.

"Anyways…I'm heading into town to see if I can grab some better leather and adhesive for the tension cord." The sudden declaration and the nonchalant way in which he said it drew both Astrid and Toothless' attention as he turned to start leaving the meadow.

"_What!?_" Came from both dragon and female at once, startling Hiccup in the severity with which he heard both the voice directly in front of him as well as the one inside his head.

"Oh…um…right. Toothless, I need you to watch her."

_::What?!::_ The dragon was quickly on his feet and pacing around Hiccup, none too pleased with the proposition.

"I'll be back before sundown don't worry."

_::It is one thing to devalue me to nothing more than a pack animal in dragging her this far with us, but now you DARE make me a hatchling mother to this girl!? Have you no shame?::_

"Toothless she won't be any troub-"

_::She tried to kill BOTH of us! And you say she will not be any trouble?::_

"Well she had her axe and stuff back then. Look at her now she's…_mostly_ harmless." The remark earned him a death stare from Astrid as she curiously watched what would otherwise look like Hiccup having a conversation with himself. Even if he was somewhat insulting her it was nonetheless amusing to watch the awkward boy yell at the dragon, answering questions and interjections she could not herself hear.

_:: I am not in any way intimidated by her you idiot! I simply do not wish for my time to be wasted watching her like an incompetent youngling!::_

"Well what else did you have in mind?"

_::I-I-I was going to rest...::_

"And you can't watch her while you rest?" Toothless' eyes narrowed and his body hunched at Hiccup's point. Seeing he had an opportunity, Hiccup pursued it. "I'll be back as soon as I can and then _I_ can watch her for you. Now be good and I'll bring you back a nice cod."

Toothless lurched back around to stare Astrid down, none too pleased with his circumstances. _::I DO like cod…::_

"Thanks bud, you know I appreciate this."

_::Yes yes now get going and bring me back my reward for this.::_

Satisfied he had pacified his friend's resistance Hiccup looked over to Astrid, who was rather displeased at hearing she was being left with a dragon.

"Take me wi-."

"You're staying here Astrid. I'll be back soon don't worry. He won't hurt you."

_::Much…::_

With Hiccup going into town, Astrid figured it as good an opportunity as any to try and press on to win her freedom. Her opportunities were slipping, she had to strike soon or risk being his prisoner forever. She took a few steps forward to confront Hiccup as he again made to leave.

"No you're-"

Toothless charged towards her a few paces, startling her backwards as she tumbled onto her back, still somewhat unsure of her footing after her head blow. He snarled at her with a vicious and primeval tone that harkened back to the days when man was hunted for game by the predators of the wild itself. She sat still, surprised at her own intimidation at the creature. She had never been one to show fear, but already feeling so vulnerable compounded her anxiety into a truly honest worry at every move of the legendary beast.

"Tooth-"

_::I have got EVERYTHING under control! Just go get me my fish!::_

Astrid slowly sat up as the dragon withdrew from an immediately predatory stance and sat back on his hind legs, keeping a disdainful look on her as Hiccup continued to walk away slowly, motioning glances at the two every few paces while he made for the nearby tree line.

"Alright…you two play nice now…"

_::Just get me my FISH!::_

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

The sun was falling low in the sky and rapidly, tinting the previously blue sky a dull grey. A thin ribbon of orange could be seen just peaking out above the tree tops, the few remaining song birds chirping away the day's concluding melody without encore.

Astrid was usually victorious in most everything she had ever done. It was who she was and no one was more proud of this fact than her. She was a person who applied herself to whatever task presented itself with vigor and determination, letting nothing stop her from claiming the victory that she considered her birthright. She rarely failed at anything, rarely had to admit defeat.

Until she tried to get into a staring contest with a Night Fury and lost _badly_. Three attempts later and the result was the same. The dragons emerald eyes never seemed to show signs of fatigue as they traced her every movement, holding her within his stare and refusing to relent its fixation.

She had made a few attempts to run earlier, only to have each one foiled as the dragon caught up to her with a few bounding leaps and wing flaps. No matter how agile or fast she thought herself to be, the dragon was showing her up at every opportunity she gave it. Any attempt she made to try and fight back was simply met by the dragon lying on top of her, rendering her strength null against its massive weight. Then she would be taken in its talons and with a few awkward and unsteady wing beats she would be carried back to where they had set down and the game would reset again.

She had lain down into the grass, finally having to admit to herself that escape wasn't possible _for now_. In the relative quiet, only lightly disturbed by the vague melodies and counterpoints of birds and insects she tried to find some peace, some solace in this situation.

She had been _kidnapped_ by Hiccup. _Hiccup_ had kidnapped her. With a clear head and without distraction, she could finally fully understand these implications.

_If_ she didn't escape, find some way to exact some vengeance on her kidnapper and his dragon what would become of her? She was already so far from home, so far from everything familiar to her. So far from her village and father. Oh gods how he must be worrying about her! Hiccup had taken her away from everything held close to her, and for what? So she could accompany him on this ludicrous journey of exploration and _adventure_? What purpose could he possibly have for her, what purpose could she have for him?

It's not like they had any deeper, more personal connection between them. Well she knew he _thought_ there was, but the feeling was by no means mutual. She was more than privy to the way he would awkwardly stare at her from the forge windows whenever she walked by or would stammer and blush whenever she was finally forced to go there to seek repairs on her axe or other things. It was always a great topic of conversation between her and Ruffnut late at night when sleep evaded the two friends as they meandered the village. The awkward runt with the crush on her, it was almost hilarious. Oh Hel it _was _hilarious!

She knew herself to be desirable, to be an object of attraction and fascination by the village boys (and quite a few of the men, but that was another awkward issue entirely). Her father had reared her to be the Viking ideal of perfection, a Valkyrie incarnate. She was brought up to trust her strength but value her beauty. She was the perfect balance of it all, a father's pride in body and soul.

That still didn't stop her from shuddering and tasting bile at the back of her throat whenever the others would make passes at her, trying in a desperate vanity to win some sense of affection or respect from her. Some like Snotlout were blunt and direct, openly requesting some manner of courtship and expecting their own strength and brazenness to win her over. Others like Fishlegs and Ruff's sister Tuffnut were more passive, preferring simple and almost innocent flirtations whenever the opportunity arose. Still, she knew their intentions were all the same, and her response remained as such.

Hiccup however was-as befitting his role in the village-the outlier in this situation. He tried _everything _when it came to winning her attention, whatever opportunity existed he would take to try and just _talk_ to her. It provided ever more for her and her friend to discuss on quiet nights, his pathetic attempts to show himself as someone that wasn't the incompetent fool that he always came off as. As the runt of the village locked up in the forge, staring out with begging eyes to the world and woman that had shut him out. As the boy desperately trying to prove himself as something more, as something worthwhile.

Then he had trained a Night Fury of all things. Certainly an attention getting action if nothing else.

She sat up from the grass, trying to see if the dragon had let down his guard. It was still staring at her, growling lowly as its eyes looked as though they were trying to kill her with only a stare. Huffing and dismayed that she was still being held prisoner she laid back into the grass, flicking a few wayward insects away from her as she got back to contemplation.

Now he had her, had her captured and kidnapped and taken away from home for gods know what reason. She _belonged_ to him for the moment. And now that he had her, all he could talk about was this nonsense about _saving her_. Was this supposed to be another one of his pathetic attempts to woo her? He was trying to make himself into one of the heroes of the songs like Ragnar or Beowulf? A savior? Is that what he fashioned himself as? All an illusion she was sure, a charade he was putting on to hide his real intentions.

She disliked the next thought that crept into her mind, a dark if unrealistic possibility bred out of her growing dread and fear. He _did_ certainly have a crush on her, and he _did _have her trapped for all intents and purposes. All he would need is for the dragon to keep guard and…

No. No he wouldn't. He _couldn't._ She knew even despite the wants and desires that surged through him that he wouldn't _dare_ try that on her. If any of his previous efforts to make some kind of impression on her were any indication, he would probably just cower out of any effort made the moment she showed resistance. Even if he had a dragon, even if he had her as a prisoner he was still the shy and awkward boy from the forge without confidence or determination. Still the village outcast, still the unwanted map maker.

He made maps, that was new at the very least. Certainly not something she had counted on but certainly nothing she could hate him for. At least he had enough respect to not steal one of the tribe's own maps. At least he had enough pride not to leave his people without tools of navigation. At least he was a gentleman thief.

He at the very least had left her unharmed despite having the opportunity to do so. He was taking this whole fiasco in stride, much in the way she was. She knew he probably hadn't _intended_ to kidnap her. After all, he did say it was an accident. How the Hel you could _accidently_ kidnap someone was still lost on her, but it made her feel better that this whole ordeal was a spur of the moment type of thing. He hadn't _planned_ to steal her away from everything she had ever known, hadn't planned to drag her along in this curious expedition of his. At least he was a gentleman kidnapper.

She heard the gentleman kidnapper rustling the nearby grass, finally back from town. She sat up again to see him carrying some leather and a small pot in one hand and a medium sized fish in another. The well sized cod was rapidly slipping from his grip, forcing him to set down the leather and jar to take the fish in both hands.

_::What took you?::_

"I took just as long as necessary, quit complaining." Hiccup threw the fish in the air a few feet, Toothless quickly extending his neck to catch and devour it in the space of a few seconds.

_::Mmh…the good stuff.::_

"I trust you and Astrid had some quality time together?" Hiccup picked up the other supplies again as he managed a glance at her while she stood up, flicking loose grass and insects off her.

"I've been trying to escape."

"I figured." Hiccup sighed as Toothless walked over to between both of them, swallowing the lasts pieces of piscine flesh stuck between his teeth.

_::At least I receive compensation for my services. She never got very far I assure you.::_

"Yeah thanks bud." Astrid frowned as Hiccup no doubt thanked the dragon for its part in keeping her hostage.

"And I'm not going to stop trying to escape until I do or I die." She spoke deliberately and with confidence, as though addressing matters of law and state. She took a step forward so as to confront Hiccup once more. She could not let up, not now. She had to find her independence once more, lest she let herself continue to be a prisoner to the old village nuisance.

Hiccup only sighed as Toothless walked back over towards him, curling around behind him and laying down, closing his eyes and shutting him out from the two humans. He was in no mood to continue dealing with this unnecessary girl or his friend's insistence that she accompany them.

"Look Astrid-"

"No you look! I don't know what the Hel kind of game you think you're playing here but it has to stop!" Hiccup shifted back a pace, suddenly remembering one of the many reasons he was terrified of Astrid Hofferson. "I don't know what you think you intend to do with me or what you think this whole insane _quest_ you want to go on is about but I don't want any part of it!"

She raised her voice so that it nearly bordered on a shriek as she finished, finger pointed at Hiccup and chest pumped up, ready to defy him at every turn, at whatever effort he made to keep her. He simply groaned as he took the leather in hand and turned over to Toothless, daring to face his back to her.

"Astrid, did Toothless attack you?" It is sometimes the simplest of questions that are the most debilitating, and Astrid found this to be the case at the moment.

"W-What?"

"Did…Toothless…attack you while I was gone?" He was getting to work on swapping out the leather pieces on the false wing that needed to be fixed, leaving Astrid a few moments to contemplate the question, not that she made much use of them.

"Well every time I tried to get away he would hunt me down and drag me back here…"

_::Oh it was hardly a hunt. She never even got to the tree line…::_

"That's not what I mean Astrid. In the entire time I left you alone with Toothless…a Night Fury…the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself…did he ever attack you with the intent to harm you?"

_::I would like to…::_ Hiccup nudged the dragon as he stripped away the old leather and began to rig up the new strips, smiling at their sturdier construction and greater, more reliable width. He waited patiently for Astrid's voice to pierce the silence again, taking a mild joy in rendering her speechless.

She stammered a moment before resorting to pursed lips of silence and brooding. Granted the dragon hadn't given her a hard time asides from when she had tried to get away…but that did mean anything? Well maybe it did but so what? Hiccup clearly had the beast under _his_ control. He had specified for it not to strike at her, to simply watch her. Then again… the dragon _did _have plenty of opportunity to dispose of her in whatever grizzly manner it desired. She knew that it didn't like her, or at least that was the impression she got from Hiccup's responses to it whenever the topic of her came up. Still, the dragon had not laid a talon on her asides from when it was obeying Hiccup and stopping her. It showed no great interest in harming her, dispelling fifteen years of fear and misunderstanding with simple apathy.

"Well…no. Not exactly…" She weakly put forward, hating herself for failing to come up with some kind of better, more forceful and pride filled response. There was no pride to be had at the moment, no sense of achievement. Hiccup had once again outwitted her. She was not used to speaking with him often, let alone being outwitted by him. Then again, perhaps the only reason she wasn't used to him outwitting her was _because_ they had never talked much before. She disregarded such thoughts for now, no sense on dwelling on the past when much more pressing issues were in the present.

"Precisely." Hiccup grunted as he continued fussing with the leather, draping it in a thick adhesive to keep the ties and links firm and taught. "Dragons don't _want_ to attack people. They're not these bloodthirsty monsters we've been told they are. Earn their trust, their friendship and they can be obedient and gentle." Hiccup moved his left hand from the tension cord and went to scratch behind one of Toothless' ears, earning a twisting of the head and droning coo of admiration from the dragon.

_::Oh you soft one you.::_

"See? I told you Astrid there's nothing to be scared of. He won't hurt you." Another still moment passed as Hiccup continued to apply the thick adhesive, hoping that the girl behind him was _finally_ going to listen, that he was finally going to have this breakthrough with her.

"Are _you_ going to hurt me?" Hiccup's hand slipped from the slick glue, splattering some on Toothless as he turned with an abrupt shake, mouth ajar and lips quivering in bewilderment. He was trying to process this bizarre question that had seemingly popped up out of nowhere. Granted he had told her this when she had just woken up, but that had more so been a simple pleasantry to try and calm her down. What had he done to make her think that he would hurt her? Never mind that, the fact that he _could _harm her?

"W-Wh-What? What's that supposed to mean?" He wiped away the rest of the thick, sticky glue on his hand with a nearby cloth and stood up to address her. Toothless lifted up his head to inspect the suddenly tense situation, before turning to lick away the adhesive that had splattered onto his back. Freshly made from the bones of fine horses…_delicious._

"Are _you…_ going to… _hurt me_?" She asked again, slowing down her question so that he may better understand. He only looked at her with disbelief, still failing to conceive of what she was implying. "You have your dragon, you control it. What do you plan to do with me?" She could feel the slightest tingling of fear at the back of her throat as her last word wafted uneasily beyond her lips. Perhaps confronting him on the issue had been a bad idea. Perhaps now that she had brought the topic up he would actually go through with it? Had she actually accelerated his timetable for her?

Hiccup stammered a moment, going through every possible scenario in his mind that she could be thinking of. Every time he thought of an instance of hurting her she was always fighting him off and besting him. He couldn't fight her, what was she talking about? Did she think he was going to sic Toothless on her? What would be the point in that? What did she-

_Oh…_

The thought struck up from the bleaker and more animalistic recesses of his subconscious, a dark arrow piercing his idealistic fantasy of the two of them breaking away from Berk together. She couldn't think…No. No she couldn't possibly…_him_? _That? _But…but how? And…and… _that's _what she thought was going to happen?

"A-A-As-Atrid…wha…I-I don't…no! I mean how could you-NO!" If poorly enunciated it was still the best response Hiccup had for the moment. His legs were nearly trembling at the accusation; he almost felt that he should be insulted. After everything he had told her, _that_ was the only thing she thought he had taken her along for? "I-I-I mean how could you even _think_ that?"

Astrid sighed, tentatively relieved that he was denying her accusation, even if she still held a fear that he was lying to her. "Well…then what point do you have in dragging me along with you? What's my…purpose?"

_:: See! Even SHE knows it is pointless for her to be with us! Get rid of her!::_

Hiccup ignored the dragon's plea, focusing instead on the unexpected confrontation he was having. Yes perhaps he held out a vague hope that at some point along this journey something _beyond_ simple companionship could become of the two of them but…_really?_ She thought he actually had the strength, the determination, the _desire_ to force himself on her?

"Astrid…I-" He started to take a few steps forward, only resulting in her taking a few backwards herself. _Was she really this scared?_ He stopped and instead walked back towards Toothless, warranting her to retake her previous position. "I…I don't know where this came from all of a sudden…but you have _nothing _to worry about. I'm not going to…I have no intention to abuse you if that's what you think. I told you yesterday…I'm taking you along because I want to share the world with you. I don't want to have to be out there worrying about you back at Berk…"

He trailed off as Astrid perked an eyebrow at his words, seeing through them and into the fears of the boy that watched her from the forge window. This admission only made her fear again, demonstrating to her that his feelings were still as prevalent as they had been back home. He _did_ have desire for her; all he needed was an opportunity...

"I figured…I had the opportunity to share the better life that I wanted to live with someone else. I figured _Hey, there's no reason that she wouldn't enjoy traveling the world and exploring and living an adventurous life as well is there_? I mean, that's what being a Viking is all about right? Adventure? Excitement?"

Astrid crossed her arms as she heard him out, still skeptical but paying some heed to what he was saying. It was certainly valid that all Vikings aimed to live up to the heroes of the sagas, those great explorers and adventures who went off to conquer distant lands with nothing more than a battle axe and an iron will.

"And maybe…I guess I thought that maybe…you know maybe we could sort of be…you know…friends? Two friends-well _three_ including Toothless- traveling far and wide? Learning? Exploring? Having a good old Viking time?"

_::You pathetic idealist you…::_ Toothless moaned lowly to himself, unheard by Astrid and ignored by Hiccup. He first had to get Astrid on board with this idea; he knew his dragon could wait to be persuaded.

"Friends…?" Astrid led on, the word catching her off guard. What exactly did that mean to him? What was he getting at?

"Well…yeah. I mean I know we aren't exactly on the best terms right now…what with me sort of kidnapping you and everything. But I thought that…maybe as time passed you could come to…_not_ hate me? Maybe?" He was slightly skittish with the last question, hoping that Astrid didn't think he meant anything more by it. He tried his best crooked smile, hoping to look as demure and innocent as he knew himself to be.

Astrid could feel herself changing at the words. She wasn't sure what this change was, but she knew it was certainly for the better. So far he hadn't tried anything on her, and he _did_ seem sincere in his pledge not to harm her. He had taken her world from her, yet at the same time was offering his own, broader universe to explore. If he wasn't going to hurt her, than could he be telling the truth? Could he actually be sincere in what he was saying about simple exploration and discovery? Of living the life of a saga hero? Still a ridiculous notion, especially for someone like him, but certainly no more outlandish than the thought of a village nuisance bringing the unholy offspring of lightning and death to heel was it not?

"Friends…" She began slowly, daring Hiccup to bare a small smile, gleaming with the hope that he had made some sort of breakthrough with her. His heart alit with an elated joy, the very notion that Astrid could be able to forgive him and could be willing to join him of her own volition was overpowering.

"No."

"Oh…"

"Not yet." She walked forward slowly, cautiously anticipating some kind of reaction from the boy she had disappointed. When she saw only his usual downtrodden and morose face, she knew he was taking it as he usually did and she went to elaborate.

"I of course don't like you… and I _especially_ don't trust you-"

"Oh believe me I know…"

"But…you _may _have a point. Now I'm not saying in any way that I still don't hate you for this but…" She stopped herself, making sure she knew what she was saying. She really wasn't, but her circumstances weren't exactly conducive to defiance or prolonged resistance. Her options were fading fast, and the most practical part of her mind concerned with immediate survival and well being saw allegiance as the best if only option.

"…but I'm willing to explore my options…for now." Hiccup's eyes found a new life, his soul a new purpose at hearing her-even if tentatively-giving him a chance, giving all that he was offering her at least some kind of an opportunity to shine.

"On one condition."

"Uh…" Hiccup's hopes slipped again, fearful of the sudden caveat being forced into the situation.

"If I willingly go along… I'm allowed to leave of my own free will, and neither you nor your dragon can stop me."

Less than pleased at the prospect of Astrid leaving, Hiccup devised his own counter-exception to this agreement. Diplomacy being one of his stronger traits, he was thus inclined to use all the tricks and plays necessary to become victorious in debate. At least in this _one _instance, he was the undisputed superior to Astrid.

"Okay…" Astrid's eyes alit at the possibility of freedom being _hers_ and hers alone to command. "But…"

_Oh…_

"Since _I_ don't trust _you_ not to run away at the first opportunity given your new found freedom…you have to promise me that you won't use such an opportunity until the end of _Jul_. Just give me until the New Year, and then whatever you want to do is up to you."

Astrid sighed, less than joyful at once again being the submissive party in this situation. "Deal." She grumbled, swallowing her pride for whatever number time that was too many.

Hiccup, satisfied that he had in fact won himself a fair agreement with Astrid wiped the remaining adhesive off his hands before going about to ready what few things of his were still on the ground from when he had rummaged through his pack. "Good, in that case we'll just wait for this glue to dry and then we'll head to one of those smaller islands off shore to spend the night. What do you say Toothless?"

_::So close to getting rid of her…::_

"Yeah that's what I thought." Hiccup grumbled to the dragon as he sealed up the pack.

"Wait, why are we going offshore?"

"Because I still don't trust you not to run off in the middle of the night, but if we're on an island there's nowhere to go now is there?" He smiled as he finished, ego bristling with the knowledge that he held this kind of power over her. Even if he had no intention of using that power in the way she thought, he couldn't deny that…_that_ would certainly be the apex of this sensation of domination and power.

"So…we're going flying again?" She asked shyly as she began to approach, guard lowering and adjusting to the new paradigm between them.

"Of course." He answered simply as he inspected the tension cord to find that the thick resin was quickly drying and hardening the leather cord to a noticeably improved state. Picking up on a subtler meaning in Astrid's inquiry, he turned to her with a thin but cracking smile.

"It's amazing isn't it?"

Astrid paused before responding. This morning she had still held on to some immediately hostile beliefs that Hiccup was a traitor, a blasphemer against Viking culture. Yet now he seemed trying to become everything Vikings looked up to, an adventurous explorer bent on bringing the Viking name to farthest ends of Midgard. Granted it was on the back of the so called enemy of generations, but this sin seemed to be waning in importance considering the circumstances, especially given the wonder and awe that had overcome her that morning as she first bid farewell to the earth she had called home for fifteen years.

"It's…"

_Traitorous. Wonderful. Horrible. Spectacular. Disrespectful. Fulfilling. Despicable. Blissful._

"Yep. Amazing."


	4. Two Sides Of The Same Coin

Another day, another wondrous time spent amidst the heavens for Astrid. They had awoken with the sun and quickly made way South without rest. The winds were growing colder, the opening skirmishes before Winter assaulted the north with its full fury, driving out whatever warmth remained as it took its rightful place of dominance in such latitudes. Despite the temperatures, Astrid disregarded whatever pain or numbness they forced upon her (though she would have to remember to wear as much clothing as possible next time she flew.) The sky featured more clouds than the previous day, allowing her a joyous time in discovering their watery composition; running her hands through them and taking pleasure in how her simple hand cut through the substance as easily as a battleaxe.

She had slept comfortably that night, even if only having a single pillow and blanket to her disposal. Hiccup had disappeared within the wings of the dragon. She wasn't quite sure how he could have possibly been comfortable like that, but she decided it best not to question the eccentricities of the boy. It felt strange waking up this morning. In many ways it still felt wrong. She didn't have a father to come down the stairs to. Didn't feel the urge to go out and train with her axe-which she was disappointed to find Hiccup had not packed despite supposedly making accommodations for her. She didn't feel the desire to run battle plans over in her head or quizzing herself on the ways to best disembowel a Nadder. She just woke up and…that was it. There was nothing to do, nothing to be responsible for, and nothing to take up her time except the flight she had so extensively enjoyed.

And yet it felt so oddly nice. This new sense of freedom was so different than life on Berk. She could understand why this had been so alluring for Hiccup-asides from it also getting him out of killing the beasts he seemed so willing to defend. She had to admit that going to sleep not having to worry about her house bursting into flames while she dozed was rather pleasant. Strange, but pleasant.

Now though the lack of things to do was making her bored. They had set down on another island in the Sudreys in the mid afternoon after a long flight over open ocean. They had landed in the hills outside of another town. Hiccup had once again left her alone with the dragon, citing a need to go and find some more supplies. She and the dragon rested in a small grove of pine trees, frittering the time away waiting for Hiccup to return. Astrid hoped that the rest of this adventure wasn't going to be a brief and exhilarating flight followed by a long day of idleness, she was already growing tired of such things.

She had already undone and redone her braid twice, getting it back in as best a presentable order as she could guess given her lack of a mirror. She had waited for Hiccup to leave before doing so; there was a sense that undoing any part of herself in front of him that just felt uncomfortable, as though she might as well have been undressing.

She could not lie to herself that she wasn't having a pleasantly lazy day here in the shade of pine trees. Even if she was still upset about this whole kidnapping ordeal, so far nothing truly terrible had come of it. Her head was feeling better; she had no chores, no excessive responsibilities or other obligations that so typified village life. For the first day in a very long time, Astrid was feeling truly relaxed, content even amidst her status as a prisoner.

Which she still was. She refused to forget that Hiccup had kidnapped her and was holding her against her will. Though she was prideful in having mediated some kind of an understanding with him yesterday on when and how she could get away, there was still a gaping hole in her pride at the current circumstances.

She had trained all of her life to be the single best warrior in Berk's history. The fastest, the most adaptable, the fiercest and most fearless. She was supposed to be a strike of Mjollnir against all of Berk's enemies, especially dragons. And then of course the runt of the village has to get in _one_ lucky hit with a rock and suddenly it was all for naught. No training had ever prepared her for this, to be a half willing prisoner to the village outcast who had somehow befriended a Night Fury. She supposed it was fitting though. He was Hiccup; everything in his life was awkward and not fitting into any kind of mold or preconception. It was appropriate that this would happen to him, in that he would be able to knock her out cold with a single strike and have the means to kidnap her away with him. It was just Astrid's luck.

She took a nearby pebble in her fingers and began to roll it between the digits, looking for something to occupy her time.

Toothless dozed opposite of her, eyes closed and totally apathetic as to what she did. It was almost tempting to try and run away again. Perhaps if she just waited until the beast fell into a deep enough sleep she could stealthily make her way into the forest and free herself from this situation. It was certainly a valid option.

Then again why would she bother running away now and ruining everything? She already had a deal with Hiccup that she was only going to stay until the end of _Jul_, only a few weeks away anyhow. No point in risking it all in another likely doomed effort to escape the dragon's attentive eyes and ears. No point in breaking Hiccup's trust in her.

That was the most remarkable thing about this. The fact that he actually _trusted_ her. Even after her protests and previous escape efforts he was still willing to leave her with the dragon, _trusting_ her not leave and to keep her word. Was he honestly that naïve? He certainly held a high opinion of her, but to the point that he honestly trusted a prisoner to not escape if given the opportunity? What the Hel could she have possibly done to warrant such respect from him? It was almost cute that he held her in such esteem after everything she had done to him.

She tossed the pebble at the dragon, missing him by a few inches as the rock rolled along the ground before him until it came to rest shortly next to its paw. The reptile huffed as it opened its eyes to look at her a moment, powerful green orbs trying to scare her away from doing such an action again. She leaned further into the tree she had been using for rest, gripping her fist in frustration with boredom

There was still something wrong about this, about flying and making peace with a Night Fury of all creatures. This nightmare that struck from the shadows, out of the darkness like the things of children's stories. Yet for some reason Hiccup trusted the dragon. Trusted the dragon and trusted her. He was certainly a hopeful individual. All the beatings, name calling and innumerable other methods of abuse had not seemed to have left much of an emotional scar upon the boy, at least none that she could see.

Had she really wanted to do that to him in the first place? Yes when it such an integral part of village culture-especially amongst her peers-to abuse and ostracize him she had gone along with it no problem. It was what you did. Going to the market? Push Hiccup in the mud on your way there. Going to eat in the Great Hall? Make sure Hiccup doesn't get a seat at your table and steal his chicken while you're at it. Heading out to train? Better make yourself look tough when Hiccup's around so he feels insecure and weak. It was as ingrained in the culture as fighting or drinking, an age-old tradition you just did…because.

Now in his presence for a few days though, things seemed different. He didn't seem particularly interested in any kind of revenge against her for her transgressions-which made her feel sick to her stomach the more she thought about them all. He only seemed interested in what he kept on saying, exploring the world and making friends and whatnot. Had he been beaten down to the point that he actually didn't care anymore? Was he so used to being miserable that he didn't see any benefit in taking revenge? Well it _was_ a rather un-Viking way of looking at things, so perhaps then appropriate for someone like Hiccup.

It still disconcerted her though, that maybe she and the others had beaten him down to the point that he had no fight left in him, that the only option he had was running away. Instead of using his dragon to seek revenge on them all-her especially-he was simply using it to run from his problems. _She_ had left him this way, a crushed soul running away from life's problems. Why then take along one of the objects that was such a prominent force in the wretched life he had escaped?

Friends. He wanted to be her _friend_; at least that was what he kept telling her. She still had a nagging feeling that somewhere down the road he might try to make a move-innocent or not-to make them more than that, but that problem could wait till then. All he kept saying was that he wanted them to be friends, to get along, to abandon the fights that had typified their past and to build something new.

There was something in that request that furiously nagged at her. He wanted a friend. _A _friend, as though this was some first time thing for him. While they had certainly endured terrible relations since they were both eight or so, there _had_ been a time when he and the rest of the kids of their generation had gotten along, in the bliss of youth that surged forth in her memory. A brief time when they all got along, when they played simple games and raced and frittered away the days together amicably, unconcerned with competition, dominance or village culture. A small band of six happy kids, content to let life pass them by in the glorious daze of childhood joy

And then it all changed. First the boys started seriously training for the roles of warrior they would have to fulfill in their later years. Found inferior and shunned away by his own gender, he had sought comfort in a continued friendship with the girls. And then Astrid's father had started her own training, and Ruffnut's parents soon after. That was the end of the road for Hiccup as far as the other kids were concerned. By the time Astrid was ten, he was fully removed from their circle of friends. By the time she suffered her first of many monthly bleeds at the age of twelve, his beat downs and abuse were becoming a regular part of a weekly routine for Astrid. (As well as good way for her to work through the new monthly pain.)

He had been so outgoing when they were children, so full of a love for life and all that it had to offer. And when all his friends including her had shut him out, she had seen it wither away and bottle itself up inside him as he became Gobber's apprentice. For six years she had been working to shut him out of her life, to drive him away just for the sake of it. And yet she was still here, stuck with him even after all that abuse. Poetic justice could be a real bitch.

And despite all of that, _all_ of it, he still wanted to be her friend. After years of ridicule and being ostracized, he was still extending a hand of peace and understanding.

She groaned lowly to herself. _What had she done to him?_ She had beaten him down for so long, even gotten his blood on her knuckles in an effort to…to…

What the Hel had been the point in all of this?! Had she gained anything from shutting him out, beating him, trying to push him out of both her life and that of the village? He had still taken down a Night Fury, still managed to saddle it and had still managed to kidnap her. That love of life was still in him, and now she was finally seeing it come out again after so many years of being tucked away out of fear.

She felt queasy. Her new sense of guilt was coming into contact with her reservoir of memories of treating Hiccup badly. All the times she had watched tears come to his eyes as he fell to the ground, hands wrapped around his gut in the aftermath of a punching bout. Every time she had pushed him down onto the ground, only to see him look at her with pleading innocent eyes when she turned back to survey the damage. All those long and especially brutal (for him) days of the kids chasing him down through the woods like some forlorn deer pursued by hunters, taking turns ambushing him and doing whatever they wanted to him until he finally gave up and lay on the ground defeated, panting, bruised and occasionally bleeding from the nose or lip. Every single memory was now becoming tainted with guilt and disgust.

She clasped her head in her hands; gritting her teeth and feeling a lump develop in the back of her throat.

Gods…she was a _terrible_ person. How were people like her allowed to live? How could she have done all this to a boy who clearly just wanted to be friends with her? She didn't deserve his friendship, didn't deserve everything he was offering.

The dragon moaned across from her, shifting its head and pushing it into the dirt to scratch an itch on the lower jaw. The movement, even if unimportant granted Astrid a way out from her despair. She couldn't continue down her depressing road of thought for much longer or she feared she'd break down into a fit of crying. She needed a distraction, something to replace guilt and self loathing with. She looked back up to the dragon, still slumbering contently across from her. _Here goes something…_

"So…Hiccup took you down huh?" The dragon was quick to open his eyes again and stare at Astrid, clearly none too interested in being disturbed by the female it viewed as a useless burden upon its back. Astrid ignored this loathing glare as she continued.

"Must have been painful. I noticed your false wing, Hiccup must be proud of that." Maybe if she flattered the rider the dragon would like her? It was worth an attempt at the very least.

"He's really quite inventive…from what I've heard at least." The dragon now turned its head to look at her, scanning the body carefully. "It's a good thing he cares for you then. I mean from what he's told me you probably would have died in that cove if he hadn't come along…" The Night Fury's ears perked up, its eyes narrowing into fierce reptilian slits as Astrid nervously continued.

"He's certainly a caring person. I mean he cares for you…and you were destroying our village that night. And he cares for me…and after everything I did to him…" The dragon tilted its head as she trailed off. Was she being too direct? Was the dragon privy to what Astrid had done to Hiccup for the better part of a decade? Was the reptile vengeful where Hiccup was not? Did it even understand what she was saying or was it simply irritated that she was disturbing its rest?

"So…" She needed to change the topic, needed to find a more innocent sequence of questions to fritter away the time with."…do dragons like eels?"

In a very brief moment Astrid would swear the dragon had rolled its eyes at her. But she could not focus on this for long as the dragon had quickly gotten to its feet and pounced at her, locking the girl's body against the pine and nearly knocking the wind out of her as its talons threatened to tear her apart if she moved more than an inch in any direction. The Night Fury's face leaned in close to her, blowing back her hair with each breath from its nostrils. Astrid tried to scramble to defend herself but found every useful appendage was trapped. This was it! The dragon _was _going to kill her after all! Oh this had all been such a massive mistake!

There was a long moment of still between the two as the dragon held her in its clutches, the nearby birds had ceased their singing and fled at the sudden movement of the alpha predator. Astrid braced herself for the worst, for the feel of fire, the touch of teeth, for the excruciating pain of death to descend upon her. She had been a fool! How could she have possibly thought any differently about dragons? About Hiccup? Damn herself!

Her head began to feel strange. There was tingling warmth working its way up from the base of her spine up towards her neck. It relaxed every one of her muscles on its way, shooting upwards quickly. Her eyes opened in shock as her body twitched at the sensation, such a foreign and strange feeling she had never felt before. The dragon's eyes bored into her, daring her to make a move as the sensation began to reach her neck and the top of her spine. She felt as though her head was being lowered beneath the waters of hot springs, every part of her skelton throbbing with warmth. Her brain felt as it had when she had first been allowed to take some hard alcohol last year, off kilter and uneasy. Yet this time there was no sense of being uncoordinated or disoriented. She could still perceive everything fine, including the dragon, which still held her firmly in its grasp.

_::Now you listen to me…slowly and with intent.::_

There was a low and soft voice that suddenly came from in front of her. Startled by the sudden noise Astrid looked around cautiously. Had that been Hiccup? Was this him finally getting his revenge by loosing the dragon on her?

"What the….who's there?"

_::I am, who else?::_ The voice came forward again, more determined and clear to Astrid but still noticeably different than anything she had heard before. This was so clear, as though it were free of any and all of the pains and inconveniences the human voice gives to language. Every word was perfectly clear and articulated, pronounced exactly as it should be. The dragon pressed on her with its paw, breathing a thick and fishy aroma directly into her face. Astrid made a cautious guess of the speaker's identity as the voice left her head, leaving only a vague echo.

"T-Toothless?"

_::No, the OTHER dragon who has you pressed up against a tree…::_

Astrid paused a moment at the sarcasm. _This_ was the dragon? This was how he sounded? Certainly distinguished and having a very strong sense of self, but also having a sense of humor. Granted it was currently at Astrid's expense, but she had to admit that it nonetheless made the reptile a little more relatable to. It almost made the voice in her head sound…human. As though she were talking to herself.

"You're…you're talking to…I can understand you?"

_::Well, you are not AS feeble minded as I had thought, this is good.::_

Astrid grimaced at the statement. While communicating with the dragon was certainly a new and exciting experience, the way in which the reptile spoke to her was anything but pleasant.

_::Regardless…Astrid…I want you to listen to me very carefully. I did not want to have established any kind of communication with you, but your insolence and continued presence here has left me no choice.::_

Astrid scowled at the words. She knew the dragon didn't exactly like her, but hearing it directly was a different and certainly much more grating experience.

_::Your pointless banter and annoying presence has thus forced me to have to establish a bond of communication with you, an honor that should only be left for people who are worthy, and thus being wasted on you. I do not quite understand WHY Hiccup insists on taking you along with us, but since the situation is what it is I think it best that we establish some kind of understanding between us. ::_

The dragon loosened its grip on her slightly, allowing her to move her arms enough to fold her hands in her lap. She was still rendered helpless in the reptile's grip, but her nerves were eased by the knowledge that her life was not under threat. Her honor perhaps, but unlike life _that_ could be restored.

_::So then…remember this. YOU are only an addition to us. Once-hopefully-my friend comes to his senses I have the utmost confidence that I will be rid of you and that the two of us can travel BY OURSELVES. But since you are here for the meantime I want you to understand this. Do not inconvenience me any more than you already have, do not resume with your harming of my friend as I understand you regularly did, and most importantly do not address me unless ABSOLUTELY necessary. Understood?::_

Astrid sat quietly a moment, absorbing the threat and trying to weigh how serious the dragon actually was. He was certainly a protective creature, and didn't appear to up on the idea of sharing Hiccup. Perhaps a little _too_ protective?

"Um…" The dragon tightened the grip on Astrid's chest again, eliciting an eek of fear from her that she was glad nobody was around to hear.

_::Understood?!::_

"Yes!" She yelled back defiantly at the creature, hoping to recover her dignity after being rendered so helpless beneath the paws of the beast. The dragon reared back, not so much out of fear but with a sense of victory.

_::Good, now stay over here and do not disturb me until Hiccup gets back, and even then I would prefer you continued to stay quiet.::_ The dragon meandered back to where it had been laying down previously, burning the ground beneath it with fire before settling down and nestling itself into a comfortable position.

Astrid felt her muscles collapse into gelatin as she was freed from Toothless' grip, her arms sliding down to her sides as she felt herself breathing quickly without the uncomfortable pressure of a dragon pressing down on her chest. Toothless had closed his eyes and swept his tail in front of his face, eager to completely remove the notion of Astrid from his conscience.

Another day, another exciting development in the world of Astrid Hofferson. She could communicate with a dragon, but this proved to be as much a blessing as a curse. While certainly a remarkable occurrence, the dragon she could talk too was proving anything but. Overly defensive, a bit rude and quite sarcastic. While it was interesting that the dragon had a sense of humor, such a fact was disappointing when it was all directed against her. Who knew dragons could be such jerks? What did Hiccup see in this beast, more importantly why was Hiccup so important to the dragon?

She winced, crinkling her nose at a certain part of the dragon's diatribe. It _knew_. Hiccup had probably told it about her. Told it about all the beatings and abuse, and probably a little something about his crush on her as well. Gods this dragon knew _everything_! Was that why he held such a negative opinion of her? He had certainly made it a point to bring it up in his discourse, so it must certainly have played a part. She couldn't escape these memories, regardless of whether she thought within or out loud.

She let her legs stretch back out as she continued leaning against the pine, cracking old needles between her fingers as the dragon quietly breathed across from her, a large mass of black, scaly, sarcastic flesh. She was apparently unwanted by the beast, a hindrance to its life and nothing more than an "addition". She was an annoyance to it, an unpleasant inconvenience. She knew Hiccup was going to be quite a while longer before he returned. She still needed a distraction, and she _was_ being referred to as an annoyance. Who was she then to not live up to such a label?

"So…that's a no on liking eels?"

_::Shut up!::_

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Hiccup rolled the silver coin between his fingers slowly, enjoying the feel of the smooth, polished metal against his skin. Asides from the quickly dwindling reserve he still had in his pack, this coin was the last he had on his person. He'd brought eight with him into town, and the small sack of goods in his opposite hand was testament to his ability to make the best use of what limited money he had.

Along with some more leather and small metal parts for Toothless' saddle and false wing he had also purchased some more food. He knew that pretty soon they would have to start living off the land and sea, relying on freshly caught fish and game to sustain them. For now though he was content to spend what silver he had on actually well made food. He managed to get a good deal on some cured pork, at least enough to last them a few more days if they ate it sparingly. He made a special indulgence and purchased a few sweet honey pastries, failing to resist the delicious allure of the confections. He hoped that a nice culinary treat would help to heal the rift with Astrid.

He hoped she was getting along with Toothless back where they had landed. The dragon had made it clear time and time again that he was not comfortable having Astrid around, and no matter what argument or appeal Hiccup made the Night Fury was resolute in his hatred. Hiccup couldn't understand _why_ the dragon was being so stubborn. Surely, Toothless would develop the strength in time to be more comfortable in flying with both of them on his back, wouldn't he? Once that happened, shouldn't Toothless fail to notice the added burden? Couldn't they all just get along?

Hiccup had taken a seat on a wharf at the town docks, allowing himself a short break to rest his feet and mind after a long day of haggling and surveying the many wares to be had. He continued to pass the coin through his fingers in the safety of his pocket. Money was after all best kept hidden, especially in foreign lands.

So far the people were familiar and the places still relatable. Many people were still Norse speakers and were similar in dress, custom and mannerism. They all went about their business just as the people back on Berk did, weapons carried on slings and scabbards at their side, dressed in armor even if battle was nowhere to be found. They all walked with pride and held themselves in high regard.

And of course they ignored him almost completely. He couldn't complain much about it. It wasn't as though he was going from the pinnacle of popularity to being an outcast. If anything, it was nice to remain on the outside, to still be ignored. Being excluded was familiar, and familiarity was always comfortable.

The small sack in which he carried his purchases lay next to him. The smell of those sweetbreads was just _so _intoxicating. He had bought six, what was the harm in one missing? He opened the canvas and delicately extracted one of the pastries, salivating like a wild animal at the delicious aroma. A single bite was enough to drive him into glorious ecstasy as he rolled the thick bread around his mouth, letting the sugars slowly tingle his tongue and grinning at the sweet taste. Oh yes, Astrid would _love_ these.

As he swallowed the first bite he found his mind drifting back to her, his little prisoner with whom he intended to make peace via pastry. His smile from the honey faded as he contemplated the past few days.

They had finally come to an agreement as to her conditions, that he had until _Jul_ to impress her or she'd leave. His heart sunk at the thought that she'd request to leave on the first day, that whatever efforts he made would be ignored and she was just biding her time before she could leave, uninterested in him or the wider world. After all, this was Astrid Hofferson of all people. She was the epitome of what it was to be a Berkian, the shining example of a true Viking that everyone in the village was always ready to point out at a moment's notice. Every other day there would be boasts in the Great Hall towards her and her excellence at everything, as well as the occasional accolade towards her father Haldor for fathering such an impressive young lady.

And then for a few brief, joyous weeks all the praise and honor had shifted to him. Dragon training had flipped Berkian life upside down, including the status of both he and Astrid. Where there had once been derision, there was lauding. Where there was disrespect, there was suddenly honor. He had seen Astrid's rage grow when the praise she had so expected was all of a sudden transferred to him, when their statuses had reversed for a short if glorious instance. The praise was certainly a nice change of pace for Hiccup, even if it was so foreign to him. To go an entire life without so much as a congratulation to suddenly being described as the greatest dragon fighter in Berk's history was so…odd. It had for so long been expected that Astrid would take up that mantle, not him. He was as surprised as she when he had actually managed to beat her, when he had stolen away the one thing she had been training all her life for.

She had been _furious_.

And it had all been through tricks and deceit. Everything he had accomplished had been because of Toothless. All his praise at subduing dragons had ironically enough resulted _because _of a dragon. He had stolen away Astrid's one goal thanks to the dragon that he had now used to abduct her. Whatever praise and respect she would have received in the future he had taken away by virtue of her removal. Even if he had noble intentions he had still dashed her dreams, still taken her away from everything she had ever known in the name of…something.

The second bite of the pastry was still sweet, but failed to elicit the smile on his face that the first taste had done. How could he have done this to her? How could he have been so selfish so as to take her away from the praise and respect that she had always known? All he had wanted to do was escape Berk, escape the fighting and having to harm dragons. In doing so he had taken away everything Astrid had ever cared about, and for what?

His own actions were leaving him confused and torn. He was trying to believe himself that he had kidnapped her for some higher, nobler reason. And yet every time he thought about it, he couldn't help but fall into one of his innumerable fantasies with her that had kept him hopeful and content throughout the long ordeal of his adolescence. He couldn't entirely refute the fact that she was still his object of physical fascination, still his long held childhood crush now on the early cusp of womanhood. Yes maybe there was some validity to his goal of saving her from certain death in the perpetual war with the dragons and showing her the wider world, but even the most high minded of endeavors can be driven by the lowest of desires.

He _wanted_ her.

He could even trace back his obsession to a single event at a single place and time. They had both been seven at the time, during the last perfect year between them before they had drifted apart. (Or rather, _he_ had drifted away from the rest of the village) It had been _Jul_ and a grand celebration was going on in the Great Hall as always. The kids were assembled and causing mischief and fun for themselves as the adults talked about inter tribal politics, the war, bad mouthed their spouses and otherwise enjoyed themselves in a different manner. It was a time for celebration and joy, the banishing of the greatest darkness of the year and the welcoming of the light of spring to come.

As the night grew later and their parents continued with what the children considered boring conversation, the six of them had tried to find more ways to occupy their time as races and other games grew tiresome or too complex for their tired minds. They had sat at one of the tables and started talking amongst themselves of less serious things, giving particular attention to the disputed winner of a race earlier that evening between the twins.

Gradually the conversation turned towards the oncoming year and the beginnings of the boys' physical training to prepare them for Berkian life. Hiccup remembered that even he had been excited for it, refusing to concede that his small size and otherwise weak nature was going to hold him back. He was at an age where anything was possible, where nothing was going to hold back the son of Stoick the Vast and when every dragon in the world was going to kneel before him. Snotlout was of course bragging of his own physical strength, already apparent at a young age and all the more reason for the young boy to be arrogant, a trait he would develop remarkably as the years went by.

And of course the gloating gradually turned to Snotlout's own fantasies, where he said he was going to be like one of the saga heroes and win glory and honor for himself and his family. To top it off, he had insisted that he would have the most beautiful wife in all of Midgard, looking at Astrid the entire time. She of course was having none of it, her face red and mouth wrapped tightly in a pout as she stubbornly retorted all of Snotlout's proclamations. She had insisted that she was never going to be his bride, and that she would never marry and most importantly would never like him. (A fact that had started to grow pronounced that fateful year and had only become more so as time went.)

Lacking a sound argument otherwise, Snotlout turned to simple assurances as he laughed at Astrid and made kissy faces at her, further enraging the young girl oblivious to the intricacies of love or attraction. Hiccup, who was sitting next to her had tried to live up to his diplomatic nature and calm the two down, only to have the argument escalate as Snotlout insisted that they-being the two strongest of their group of friends-were made for each other, and that it was only fitting in the epic story Snotlout had decided his life would become if Astrid became his bride-even if neither exactly yet knew what such an agreement meant. The name calling and kissy faces continued, the worst of an eight year olds vocabulary being flung at either side without care. Soon, the shouting match had reached its climax.

_"You know it will happen, so you might as well kiss me now."_

_"I only kiss people I like!"_

And then quickly, almost too fast to be registered by any outsider Hiccup had felt his collar being tugged towards Astrid as her lips quickly brushed his cheek, closing against them with the force of her speed but with a subtle softness that no other material Hiccup knew of could quite replicate.

_"See?!"_

It was done. The shouting match ended with the simple gesture as the entire table-including Hiccup-had looked at Astrid in disbelief as her cheeks burned a hot pink and her eyes avoided all contact. Her father upon finally having the screaming match brought to his attention had then showed up and dragged his daughter away, the party dissolving soon afterwards.

They had never had a chance to talk about the moment. At first it had just been because Hiccup had been busy between his new apprenticeship and early attempts at physical conditioning. Then it just became awkward to talk about given how much time had passed, and eventually the two had drifted apart as village culture dictated they do.

Regardless, it stuck in Hiccup's memory from that point forwards, a single dim light to bolster his spirits amidst his darkest days. Regardless of how fiercely she hit him, the names she called him, the ways she ignored him, he knew that there had been a point in the past where she had publically admitted to liking him. She had liked him before, so why couldn't she now?

This was only complicated as the years moved on, as both bodies and minds developed into entirely different entities. Dreams that had once simply been concerned with that one simple kiss evolved with Hiccup's understanding of the male and female body. The children of the dreams grew up with the person who had such fantasies, and they gradually went to new and more interesting places with the more that Hiccup learned from village gossip and overhearing other adult conversations.

More importantly, _she_ had evolved. Astrid was no longer a child, but developing in ways that made Hiccup uneasy, ways that often left him waking up in the early hours of the morning with a sudden need to change his pants. It seemed as though the more they drifted apart, the more desirable she became. He had tried his hand at winning her favor again as the years passed, trying to find his way into the heart of this new, growing Astrid. And even with every rebuttal-often followed by a punch or two to the gut-he still kept trying, determined that his old friend was in there somewhere.

Friendship was one thing, but desire was another. It still unnerved him that she had actually thought he would force himself upon her. Yet the more he thought about it, he could understand her fear. She _knew_ he liked her- as if he hadn't made that woefully obvious in the past. He had dragged her away from her home and was mostly holding her against her will. But he knew himself to be superior, in that his body was too _inferior_ to even attempt such an action. He couldn't.

More importantly, he _wouldn't_. Not just to any woman, but more importantly Astrid. Somewhere inside both of them were the two innocent friends of years past. And even if Hiccup wanted something less innocent between the two of them, they would go about this as equals, as friends. He wasn't going to destroy the friendship he had once cherished all for some brief physical gratification at her expense. If what he desired were to come in time, it would be because _both _of them were ready and willing.

That day just couldn't get here soon enough.

He shook his head, trying to get Astrid off his mind for the moment. Fantasizing could wait until later, when she lay asleep across from him and he prayed for a dream to ease his longings. He drew his knife from beneath his vest, needing something to further distract him. He took to inspecting the edge of the blade, trying to look for tiny nicks and chips; there weren't any, but at least it was taking his mind off Astrid for the moment. Gradually he took to singing an old tune, one his father had used to whistle around the house when he was younger and that he had heard a few other times at the occasional village wedding.

Another man had come down to the wharf, sitting a few feet away from him and enjoying an apple. Hiccup ignored him as he got back to softly singing the tune to himself.

"…swim and sail on savage seas, ne'er a fear of drowning…and gladly ride the waves of life…" He skipped the next line, sensing it would be awkward for the man who had sat next to him.

"No scorching sun or freezing cold will stop me on my journey…if you will promise me your heart…" He hummed the next line, Astrid dancing in his head, mocking him with her persistent presence.

"…dearest one, darling dear…mighty words astound me…I've no need for mighty deeds when I feel your arms around me." He gave up on singing, and reverted to humming the last few lines, tossing his knife over in his hands and trying to pass it between his fingers to pass the time.

"Not a bad tune there lad." The man asides from Hiccup spoke up as he ripped another piece of apple away from his hand and into his mouth. He was almost Viking like in physical stature, but had a more rounded, smoother face topped off a mess of greasy black hair. He reminded Hiccup of the peoples that came to Berk from the land of Ireland, which they were rapidly approaching with each day they flew. Three thick blue lines ran down his chin, making Hiccup wince at the thought of getting tattooed in such an area. The man appeared dressed for a life on the sea, wearing tight layers of wool and wadmal colored intricately with interlocking stripes of green and blue. He appeared content with life but not with his lot in it.

"Uh…thank you." Hiccup shyly got back to inspecting his knife, even if there was nothing to really inspect.

"You seem distressed there boy, what ails you?" The man was apparently much more determined to have conversation than Hiccup. Still, it was a distraction from Astrid, and Hiccup was glad to take it. He took a breath and sighed, switching his knife to a reverse grip and continuing to try and rotate it between his fingers.

"Girls..."

The man broke into a powerful laugh at the soft and defeated answer. He slapped Hiccup on the back with nearly enough force to send the boy into the water, causing him to fidget with the knife between his fingers so much that he nearly cut himself with the blade. "Ahahahaha! Oh girls! Don't I know it too eh lad!?" The man took another moment to laugh and compose himself as Hiccup placed his knife to the side.

"Yeah…"

"Oh yes the great mystery of life aren't they?" The man took a final bite of his fruit before throwing the rest into the waters. With a simple and playful grin he extended an arm to the boy as a sign of friendship. "Eret, the son of Eret." He seemed unthreatening, a man who only wanted someone to pass some time before departing for the waves.

"Hiccup." He took Eret's hand and quickly winced at the tight, powerful grip the man imposed on him. Even if it was unintentional, Hiccup felt as though the man could shatter his wrist with the single handshake.

"Hiccup? Strange name isn't it?"

"Strange name for a strange person." The self deprecation served its purpose to ease the tension between the two of them. Feeling easier and with Astrid fading from his memory, Hiccup turned to the conversation at hand. "So, who's Eret?"

"I'm Eret."

"Yes, but you're the son of Eret, who was Eret?"

"He's the father of Eret."

"Which makes you the son of Eret?"

"Yes…"

"So then who was the father of Eret, the father of Eret?"

"Why Eret, the father of Eret. Who else?"

Hiccup could tell he was getting nowhere with what should otherwise been a fairly easy conversation. "Fascinating." He mumbled as Eret rolled as eyes, indicating to Hiccup that the man had probably had the conversation more than once before. Eret quickly changed the topic of conversation, noticeably more interested in the boy than the boy was the sudden interloper.

"So then, tell me about these girl troubles of yours." Hiccup's head fell and his cheeks started to resemble the rest of the apple still bobbing in the surf below the wharf. He wasn't even sure that he understood his woes himself, so how could a stranger possibly the assuage them?

"Oh you know…the usual." "_Nope, certainly didn't kidnap my long time crush and use a Night Fury to take her with me as I fled from my home and tribe like a coward. Me? No…"_

Eret chuckled to himself at the rather bland response. "Aye, in that they're anything but…" He seemed to be dropping the conversation, mercifully sparing Hiccup from any of the more personal and disturbing details that the boy himself was grappling with. "Nice knife there by the way."

Startled by the sudden compliment to his craftsmanship, Hiccup cracked a smile as he flipped the blade in his hands and presented the hilt to Eret for the man to inspect. "Thanks, made it myself."

"No kidding eh?" Eret took the knife and began to inspect it, appreciating the fine balance and good polish of the blade. He took notice of several small runes at the base of the blade which piqued his interest. "HGH III?"

"Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, my full name."

"Huh, and here I thought my name was inconvenient for people..." The two men smiled at the humor at their mutual expense for a moment. "Care to trade?" Eret pulled out a blade of his own, a thicker and heavier looking weapon that bridged the gap between utility knife and tool of war. It was long and sleek, designed for killing quickly and ideal for one's self defense on and off the field of battle. It startled Hiccup that the man would be so willing to depart with such an impressive looking tool. "I'm but a fisherman, so this thing isn't exactly the greatest when it comes to gutting the things. Yours on the other hand would be perfect for filleting and more intricate work, what do you say?"

Hiccup was honestly torn at the decision. His knife was such a cherished possession, one with which he felt a great attraction. It was as much a part of him as the hands which had crafted it. It was the tool that-by not using it-had earned him Toothless' friendship and given him the gift of flight. At the same time, if he was going to travel he would need something better to defend himself than the simple utility blade, something that could intimidate and threaten. He would probably never master how to use such a tool of conflict, but as long as it scared away any who challenged him, why would he even need to? Besides, Astrid might appreciate it if he looked as though he were serious about protecting her and taking care of both of them. At the same time she might use such a weapon to kill him in his sleep, but it was a risk he was willing to take.

"Uh…sure. Deal." Eret unhitched the sheath of the blade from his side and handed both the holster and the blade to Hiccup. They shook hands again, both satisfied with the trade.

_"__Eret__! __Táimid agam an__líontán__ar fad__socraithe__suas agus__tá__muid réidh__chun dul.__Cad a deir__tú?__"_ A voice came up from behind in a foreign tongue Hiccup could vaguely distinguish to be Gaelic.

"Well that's my calling lad. Pleasure doing business with you and good luck with that girl. God's grace." Eret stood up and raced down the wharf, yelling at the man who had disturbed him. Hiccup lay his new blade down by his side, smirking at the longer, more intimidating yet graceful looking knife as long as his forearm-hand included.

Gradually, his thoughts turned back to Astrid, but in a more innocent way than his earlier conflict of mind. Would she think this had been a fair trade? They were both quite knowledgeable on how ineffective he was with weapons outside of the most basic, like the knife he had just traded away. At the same time, she might think him wise for seeking ways to defend themselves. Perhaps she would start asking for her own weapon in the future, but that was a different problem for a different time.

He moaned as darker thoughts came back to him, though this time he was ready to fight them off. He was a good person, and if he had to tell himself that every moment of everyday to stop himself from taking advantage of the girl now in his possession then that's what he would do. He was not going to be known as the man who had stolen Berk's pride away only to steal her innocence as well. He began to roll the coin in his pocket back between his fingers again, banishing the darkness of his desires with simpler, benign thoughts. Fantasies of he and Astrid flying off into endless sunsets, their mutual closeness enough to satisfy them both. Dreams of the two of them ending the perpetual war between Viking and dragon, united in cause even if not in body. Off handed scenarios in which the two of them fought the forces of evil that would dare to harm them, she with some kind of axe and he with his new knife.

The feel of the silver coin in his hands was reassuring. He had just gotten an entirely new weapon that was worth far more than his own previous knife for a steal. He hadn't even had to use his last piece of silver to get it. He was certainly a good trader, now he just had to show Astrid that he was a good person.

Honey pastries and knives were as good a place to start as any.


	5. Letting Go

The Great Hall was full.

The large building was packed with more than half the village's population who ate, drank and gossiped amongst themselves. Sound reverberated off the walls and collected into an indistinguishable din that slowly grew louder as time passed and drink took its effect upon the human voice. Many had gathered together in the warmth of the large building to protect themselves against the fierce cold that was setting in over the island, a sign of the rapidly approaching winter. All were enjoying the company of friends, loved ones and neighbors, rejoicing in common cause and unity in this time of darkness.

All but a single man whose face was finally beginning to reveal his age. He sat alone with neither food nor drink to console him. His face was representative of so many negative emotions that naming them would take several eternities. He scowled at those who gathered with friends and acquaintances and family with a seething disdain. To a newcomer, this man would seem out of place, and it would be proper for the rest of the collective to shun him away. Instead, they all gave the man a comfortable space and spoke in hushed whispers whenever they got close to him. They were all speaking of a subject most delicate to this man who had a special stake in the topic of conversation. The slightest agitation was known to set him off, the slightest imperfection a cause for great rage. The man who always wrapped himself in a dark cloak was a delicate composition of alchemic elements awaiting a fool to spark him. He, Haldor Hofferson was an empty and angry man.

It was more than a week and a half since Astrid had gone missing. Ten days since the last thing that had kept him hopeful and strong amidst the mild torture that was Berkian life had disappeared. It had been one week ago that he'd woken up to find his daughter gone, her bed made, all her possessions still at the house, no indication that she had been intent on leaving. And yet she had simply vanished, disappeared without a trace.

Or so he had thought at first.

Haldor had thought that when Stoick arrived at his house that morning the two of them would have been able to figure out what had happened. Instead all Haldor received was the chief reading a crumpled up parchment with malice and bile. At first Haldor was just as filled with rage as the chief, irate that a member of the tribe-even if it was only Hiccup-had dared to betray his very culture for the company of a dragon.

Then the evidence began to fall into place.

Astrid had left the house early the previous evening, axe in hand and determination wrought upon her face. She had told Haldor that she was going to find out how Hiccup had beaten her in dragon training, an instance that had left both father and daughter equally furious at the sudden and unexpected outcome. They had shared a short hug before she raced out into the approaching sunset as he yelled "be safe" after her. His last words to her, and now he didn't even know if they would come true.

Haldor had waited up half the night for her, expecting her to return home with Hiccup in tow, throwing him to the ground and making him explain whatever treachery he had used to rise from his station and steal Astrid's dream from her. He had fallen asleep wishfully thinking that Astrid was taking matters into her own hands, enjoying a nice long beating session all by herself. Nothing out of the ordinary for her, and certainly nothing that the chief's son didn't deserve. The title meant nothing to the rest of the village, least of all Stoick who was more than content to sit idly by as his son endured the wrath of the other teens.

It was when Stoick had shown up, proclaiming his son a traitor and a coward and other things that even Haldor thought were a little too obscene for a father to call his son that connections started to be drawn.

Haldor had been stalwart in refuting any accusation that his daughter had been secretly aligned with Hiccup in his blasphemous endeavor. Not that anyone had made such a statement, but rather that Haldor didn't want to confront the other possibility. The possibility that Hiccup may have used his dragon on his daughter. That something may have happened to Astrid and now he would never see her again.

It had seemed a ridiculous notion at first. _Hiccup_ hurting Astrid? He had laughed when the notion ran across his mind. There was just as much a chance of Odin suddenly declaring the war with the dragons to be over. They had sent out search parties throughout the day to look for her, but all came up empty and without so much as an inkling as to where she was. Her sudden disappearance alongside Hiccup's open declaration of betrayal were starting to coincide into a dismal and disheartening reality. As the sun had set on that first day Haldor had found himself shutting his chief away as he withdrew inside his house, inconsolable as he flung himself into a rage that had nearly brought his own roof down around him.

The village was abuzz with gossip and rumors, all of which were unfounded as far as Haldor was concerned. Everybody had their own story. Some said that Hiccup had used the dragon's magical powers to lure Astrid with him to the nest where they would both be consumed. Others said that the dragon had probably killed Astrid and eaten the body. There was even a small group that believed that the dragon was manipulating the two into revealing the village's defensive weak points and that a truly grand raid was coming in the next few days. Still, a sizeable group believed one alternative that disturbed Haldor the most, one that they claimed was substantiated by Hiccup's note.

_"I and my best friend have thus left Berk to escape the fighting…"_

Haldor refused to believe any of the accusations or rumors, so far as to actually threaten people with violence if they kept it up. Not that this had seemed to damper the will to gossip that was strong in every Berkian. They were gathered in small groups throughout the hall, discussing the subject and their opinions on it despite Haldor's glaring eyes. They felt sorry for him, but that wouldn't stop them from trying to figure out what exactly had happened.

Friends? The very idea of Astrid tagging along with Hiccup was reliant on them having any kind of mutual amity towards each other. If there was one thing that Hiccup lacked, (and there were many), it was people who liked him. Haldor had always been proud of his daughter for staying true to the Berkian way and being at the forefront of ostracizing the young boy, cutting him out of the close circle of friends they had been as children. He was confident that he had raised Astrid up well; to emulate the mother she had barely known. She was going to be the epitome of what it would mean to be a Berkian. She was to be invincible, incorruptible, indomitable, a shining example of what good breeding and proper upbringing could do.

Because unlike his wife, Haldor wasn't going to lose Astrid. Astrid was never going to be torn apart by a flock of Nadders like her mother. Astrid would never have to fear for herself because she would be raised to be the strongest, the fastest, and the greatest. Haldor would never have to worry about his glorious Valkyrie being harmed. No matter what the gods sent their way, Haldor was never going to lose his daughter.

Except he had. His daughter, his last reminder of his darling Hilga was gone. The one thing he had devoted his life to above all else, the one object he had held out hope for in the dismal world of perpetual war was gone. And how? The village runt had somehow managed to down the most elusive dragon in the entire world and used it to…

Haldor's head collapsed between his arms, his hands coming up to rub his hair that despite the procession of time refused to show much of a sign of greyness. What if they were right? What if Hiccup actually controlled _the dragon_? What if he had-as ridiculous as it sounded-taken Astrid with him? In any other circumstance such a statement would have elicited laughter and mockery at the boy's expense. But now with both gone and mounting evidence the thought was inescapable, metastasizing into increasingly dismal and depressing theories of what could have become of Haldor's precious daughter.

That damn Haddock boy always had an eye for her, even before the kid even knew what the female body was supposed to be used for. He'd seen it back when they were just innocent children, the way all the boys would stare at his glorious creation like a wolf does to lame prey. He'd done his best to protect her from them just as much as he had the dragons. His daughter was not going to become some object of physical gratification for anyone, least of all someone of such unworthy stock as Hiccup. He knew he'd done right to separate them once the children reached training age, to toughen her up to the point that she would never even _consider _fooling around with any of the boys and their gods-damned hormones. He'd gone so far so as to _encourage_ her to beat up any of the boys whenever she got the opportunity. She had to see them as a threat, not as something to desire.

As the years passed and Astrid became an even more efficient warrior, Haldor was proud to see her keep standing up to the advances of those that would dare think themselves worthy of Haldor Hofferson's daughter. And yet they still kept trying with hopeless vanity. It almost surprised Haldor at how stubborn they could be in their persistence. Then again, Vikings _are_ known for their stubbornness issues.

Hiccup was in fact the most impressive in his resoluteness to win her approval-even if Haldor knew the damned boy wanted something more than mere approval. He was always running to Astrid's aide whenever it looked as though she needed assistance with something or she had hurt herself training. And no matter how many times she-or anybody else for that matter-hit him, called him names or pushed him down, he still kept trying. It was as though the boy thought himself destined to be with his daughter. Worse, it was as if Hiccup thought that there had ever been-or ever would be-an instance when his daughter would desire him back. It was _almost_ sad to watch him try with such determination to reach a goal always held so far away, if not borderline pathetic.

And yet this was the same pathetic excuse of a man who seemed to have abducted his daughter. Abducted, because his precious Astrid would _never_ willingly submit to the charms or advances of someone who was so clearly beneath her. Never. Never_ willingly_.

He groaned to himself as a pair of women walked by, passing the issue between themselves and their opinions on whether or not a saddle could be built for a dragon. Who the Hel cared!? For all they knew that wretched spawn of Loki was using his dragon to _make_ Astrid submit to him! His daughter, his perfect baby girl was being abused and used out there by a traitorous blasphemer! After everything he had done to try and protect her she was just going to become some tool of gratification for some worthless runt like Hiccup!

He tried to stay hopeful, tried to assure himself that his girl would be all right. She was trained to be a warrior, trained to look after herself. Surely if Hiccup came after her, she would be able to resist him. Yes. Yes, that would be it. His girl was too good and too strong for a stupid hormone driven punk like Hiccup to ever overwhelm.

He had told her to "be safe". Those were to his last words to her, and were they any longer valid? He took another heavy, fragmented sigh. His girl was out there somewhere, probably scared for her life and innocence at the hands of a boy who never deserved her. She couldn't be safe now, not anymore. Granted Berk wasn't exactly the safest place to start with, but at least here he could watch her, make sure she was always ready for what came after her. Here on Berk he could protect her.

He couldn't protect her anymore.

He'd failed. It had been his role-his duty-to protect her, to keep his daughter safe. Now she was nothing more than a slave of the senses to that damned Haddock boy! How could he have let this happen? How could he have been so irresponsible so as not protect her? She was all he had left from Hilga, all he had left from a better time in his life when he had an actual family and life. All he had left from a time when his life seemed so much better. Astrid had been that one light to hold him through all these difficult years, the one thing that if she just worked and trained hard enough would never part from him. He would have his daughter forever; nothing would ever take that last beacon of hope and joy from him.

Except for Hiccup. Hiccup had taken her from him. And now there was just Haldor and his house, destroyed by his own volition in a rage he didn't feel would ever quite subside. Hiccup had taken away his daughter, his everything. Haldor had lost, Hiccup had won. His daughter was no longer safe, his life no longer with purpose.

All because of Hiccup.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

There was a plethora of things a Viking could say about Ireland. Many could go on about how it was filled with gold ripe for the taking, hoarded in buildings without defense by men who wore strange brown robes and spent their days in quiet contemplation. Others would talk of its ease of navigation, how its rivers were no obstacle to exploration and plundering into the deep interior of the island. Others still would talk of the women that would be taken during raids, of how they were of a quality unsurpassed at home, of how their beauty transcended that of any and how their shy nature hid a strong, warrior-esque personality behind soft skin and sly glances. To Hiccup-having experienced neither raid of plunder nor Celtic love-there was only one thing that he could say about Ireland with any definiteness.

It was _very_ green.

The leaves that would have at one point further embellished deciduous trees with an emerald gloss had withered and fallen as the island submitted to the grip of winter. Despite this, the evergreens held true to their name and continued to coat the woods in a verdant hue. The grass as well held onto its shine, resolute to stand against the assault of winter for as long as possible. The sky was grey, yet this only seemed to accentuate the earthy tones of world that surrounded him. Browns seemed darker and the ever present green seemed stronger, as if the color itself were tied to the essence of the land. If ever the hue were to be removed from the island, the very soul of the country and its people would cease to exist.

A few days of casual flight around the North of the country had revealed nothing more than endless vistas of forest and pasture. There had been a few large towns near the coast, but human settlement gradually dissipated the further the three of them had gone into the interior. The thick virgin woodland provided excellent places to sleep in undisturbed peace for the past several nights. The rolling pastures provided an even greater opportunity when it came to hunting food as the small portions Hiccup had managed to buy on the Isle of Man had dwindled faster than he had thought. A deer had sustained them for the past two days as they made camp in an especially remote area of woods, enjoying long days of flight as they surveyed the countryside. The days were lazy, without responsibilities at a forge or training ground. Simple companionship kept Hiccup and Astrid content as pasture and woodland faded into one another with the passing days. While Astrid tried to speak to Hiccup and especially Toothless as little as possible, she was slowly growing more comfortable in his presence. She still didn't entirely trust him, but there was enough of a peace between the two for at least some manner of stability given the odd circumstances.

Despite Hiccups' reluctance, Astrid and Toothless had convinced him to prey on a shepherd's flock last night, seizing a healthy looking ram out of the twilight sun and disappearing with it before the poor Gael could even register the sheep missing. Hiccup and Astrid had taken enough for themselves and left the carcass for Toothless, who gladly ripped the animal apart before them in a way just vicious enough to stem the humans' appetites. Hiccup felt guilty at stealing the animal, but Toothless had once again an infallible, logical argument on how it would have only been a matter of time before they would have had to steal food. And it was such a big flock…who would notice?

They rested in a dense wood, surrounded by lush pines that refused to waft in the breeze despite the fierce wind that was roaring on the outside of the wood. The sky darkened, foretelling of a great storm that steadily approached. The air itself was on edge as thunder rumbled nearby.

"I'm just going to assume you didn't bring much in the ways of rain protection…"

Astrid sighed out as she sat against a downed tree, idly resting after a long afternoon of exploring via dragon back. Hiccup could see that she was opening up to the idea of flight. There was a new kind of spark in her eyes whenever Hiccup mentioned they were heading into the air. He was appreciating the small smile that would come to her lips whenever he looked behind him while in air, admiring her joyous curiosity at soaring above the rolling hills below them. He could only hope that he was winning her favor with this expedition, even if it was still technically against her will.

"Nope. Again, I emptied out a lot of my supplies back on Berk. Although if it's any consolation I hadn't packed any to begin with…" He smiled at the humor and found Astrid did the same. She was at least not constantly grilling him for kidnapping her anymore, so he was going to consider that progress.

"So what about when the rain hits then?"

"I don't know about you but I'm planning on hiding inside Toothless' wings."

_::Damn right you are.::_ The dragon spoke up from Hiccup's side, lifting his head to gently nuzzle his friend's side and purring.

"You can uh…you can...if you want…maybe join in as well…?" Had that been too forward? Hiccup's averted his gaze from Astrid as he felt his cheeks warm with blushing blood. Granted he was only extending a courtesy, but was he being _too_ courteous? He was relieved to find that Astrid didn't move over to punch him, and instead leaned her head back in relaxation.

"I think I'll manage under these tress, they're pretty thick I doubt much rain could get through."

_::Good, because I have no intention of letting you in regardless.::_

"Oh I know." Astrid chuckled as she righted herself and looked Toothless in the eye. "I know you don't like sharing him anyways."

_::There is no point in sharing with someone who will be gone shortly anyway. Why should I allow you the indulgence of my security when you are not even supposed to be here?::_

"Toothless…" Hiccup flicked the dragon's ear plate, drawing a groan of dismay from the reptile as it settled its head on the boy's lap. "Come on knock it off."

_::I will when she is gone::_

"She's here till _Jul_; at least. Can't you just deal with it until then?"

_::Unfortunately I can…::_

Hiccup moaned to himself as he placed a hand on top of Toothless' head, gently scratching it as he smirked at Astrid, drawing a smile out of her as well.

He had thought once Toothless had established communication with Astrid that the two would start to get along. Instead they only seemed to hate each other even more. While Astrid had grown comfortable around the dragon, she had made it repeatedly clear to Hiccup that she didn't like the beast's tone. He was still trying to get Toothless to like her, but it so far seemed a losing battle. No matter what he did, no matter what he got Astrid to say or do Toothless was maintaining an air of aggression around her. The dragon was holding out hope that Astrid would still leave at the first chance she got once Jul ended, and Hiccup was torn between the hopes that the dragon would come to accept her by then, and that Astrid wouldn't abandon him at the first opportunity.

"Good thing then Toothless, cause Jul is not for another few weeks. You're stuck with me until then." Astrid stuck out her tongue at the reptile, eliciting a smirk from Hiccup and a groan from the dragon that reverberated through Hiccup's legs.

_::So disrespectful…honestly Hiccup how does she appeal to you as mating material?::_

"Toothless!" Hiccup looked up to find Astrid giggling to herself, holding up a hand to her face to hide a smile that was threatening to break into a full grin. Hiccup found himself turning his head away as he drove his fingers harder into Toothless' head, hoping that maybe he could inflict some pain on the creature for the outburst. He knew his nails were no match for Toothless' scales, but it was worth a try at the very least.

"He uh…uh…I don't…he didn't…he didn't mean that I uh…wanted…"

Astrid broke into hysterics at Hiccup's poor attempts to backtrack that which had with blatant honesty laid bare his deepest intentions. Even if both subtly knew of Hiccup's own desires, there had so far been easiness about the subject after that first full day and Astrid admitting her darkest fears. Still, it wasn't something they would willingly discuss openly. Toothless of course seemed more than willing to make any interactions Hiccup had with Astrid painful and awkward in hopes that it would lead to her disposal. The dragon certainly wasn't very good when it came to the delicacies of human emotion. Why the Hel had he even told the dragon about this in the first place?

Oh right, he never thought Astrid would be around to hear it.

"He doesn't know what he…uh…he may have over heard some…" Hiccup swore he could feel the dragon rolling his eyes at him from beneath the shields of his thick lids. He was going to find some way to get the dragon back for this, eventually. "May have…overheard some…misunderstood some…"

"Oh give it up Hiccup!" Astrid brought her hands to her stomach to ease her laughter, giving Hiccup an eye that showed a mild sympathy to his sudden and abrupt outing of affection. Hiccup braced himself for what was to come. Punching bout? A fierce tongue whipping (not the good kind) about how he was trash and not good enough for her? Just some good old cold rejection? He knew that not even Toothless' presence would be enough to spare him from her wrath, especially when his affections were brought up.

"Well…let me have it…" He hung his head in shame, extending his arms to the span and preparing for the worst. A single moment passed in silence. Hiccup felt Toothless being still beneath him. Odd, wouldn't the dragon at least _try_ to protect him from Astrid's wrath?

"What the Hel are you doing?" Hiccup looked up to find Astrid staring at him perplexed, a fading grin on her face as she tilted her head, curious to the sight before her.

Hiccup could feel skin just below his eyes heating with embarrassment. He had done everything that he should have, offered his body free of defense for her wrath. What was keeping her? "I'm uh…you're not gonna…hit me?"

"What?" Astrid jerked her head back, surprising Hiccup. She was taking this surprisingly well…too well perhaps.

"You know…like punch me or something?"

_::I dare her to try …::_ Toothless raised his head to stare Astrid down, not that she took such a motion as an immediate threat. She only looked at him with further confusion that gradually faded into one of mild shock.

"Hiccup…what do you-"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about." He moaned out. He started to think that maybe he had again been too forward, that maybe punishment and pain were behind him-at least for the moment- and that Astrid would maybe show him mercy. He grew more curious as he saw Astrid's face fall from the joys of laughter to a sullenness he had not expected. How could she possibly have been hurt by this situation? She sat up straight and laid her arms over her knees.

"Look…Hiccup…we need to talk."

"About the mating thing! Right! You see Toothless wasn't-"

"No. Not that…okay maybe afterwards but not yet." She stopped him with her words and raised a hand to assure herself a turn to speak. "I mean we have to talk about…before all…_this._"

Hiccup piqued an eyebrow. He knew what _this_ was, but what did she mean by what had happened before?

"I've been doing a lot of thinking over the past couple of days. Thinking about life back on Berk…and us."

"Us?"

"I mean…you know…the reason why you were just expecting me to hit you." Astrid demurred, shying her head away as Hiccup continued his inquisitive glance. He was truly fascinated by this side of her, this suddenly self analytical and mournful girl that was only for the first time showing herself in his presence. "I've been…how do I say this? Over the last week you've been…you know not vengeful or anything."

"Vengeful?" Hiccup leaned forward with intrigue. Was he supposed to be vengeful? Had she done something great to wrong him?

"Yeah. You know…after everything I and the others did to you, you still haven't been…you haven't gotten very angry or preachy about it now that I'm…well still kind of your captive." Astrid finished the sentence with a smile, showing an uneasy comfort with her present circumstances. There was a part of Hiccup that still feared that such ease of speech was only a ruse to disguise her intent to flee once given the opportunity, but he was willing to take whatever smile he could get. She did have rather pretty teeth after all, so much straighter and well shaped than his own battered and crooked array.

"I don't-"

"Look…I'll admit the last week has been…interesting. Checking out this whole country these past few days have been nice. I never…I never thought I'd really ever get to explore much of anywhere. Just thought I'd stay on Berk till I died, you know? Hel I never thought I'd ever be able to touch the clouds either…" Astrid managed a light chuckle as she let the sentence end with a fade.

"You've been…nice-ish… for a kidnapper anyway." She chuckled again, this time managing a similar one out of Hiccup. "And…" She paused; face again falling into a sullen expression that continued to endear Hiccup to every word that came from her lips. "And…I just wanted to say…I'm sorry."

"Uh…sorry?"

"Oh come on!" She was suddenly full of energy again as she raised her head and looked at Hiccup with a scowl of frustration. "You know what I mean! Do I have to actually say it!?" Hiccup reared his head back at the quick outburst, also causing Toothless to lay down another of his death stares at Astrid, not that she any longer cared about the dragon's thoughts on the matter. She stood up and paced around for a few moments, growling to herself.

"I'M! SORRY! I! HIT! YOU!" There! Happy?"

"Uh…" The proclamation left Hiccup at a loss for words. He'd honestly given up on hearing those words after the first few years of abuse, when it seemed that such a wretched paradigm was going to be his life story forever. Now that he was actually hearing them, it was as though a dream had come true that he never even knew he'd dreamed before. "Uh…"

"Oh gods you're pathetic. Stand up!"

"Mmh? What?"

"I said stand up." She kept her eyes fixed on them, not so much filled with rage as with a reluctant anticipation.

"Um…okay. Toothless…could you move please?" Hiccup attempted to lift the dragon's head off his lap, a task that Toothless completed himself as Hiccup's muscles strained over the weight. The Night Fury wandered off to the side and curled back up on itself, keeping a wary eye on the two humans and more than prepared to act at the first sign of threat to his friend. Astrid walked up to Hiccup, staying silent before him a moment before lowering her own head and spreading her arms to her span as he had just done earlier.

"Hit me." It took Hiccup a good moment to comprehend the request. He had many the fantasy of Astrid requesting him to do other things to her, but striking her had never once come up in any of them. It was yet another moment today that he was unprepared for-he was really starting to dislike moments like this.

"What?"

_::Take it!::_

"You've never managed to get in a hit on me after all the shit I gave you back on Berk. And here we are and you've still had the chance and you won't take it so just get it over with already! Just hit me and make us even!" Her voice cracked slightly as she finished. Hiccup couldn't tell if it was just something similar to the way he noticed his own voice did the same, or if it was the clue to some deeper emotion digging in at the back of her throat.

"Uh…I…uh…As-Astrid I…what do you mean _hit_ you?"

Astrid sighed, still avoiding eye contact with Hiccup and shaking her head with annoyance. "You know usually when one person offers a free hit on themselves towards the person they've abused for the better part of their lives…the person receiving the offer takes it. It's considered rude not to."

"It's rude _not_ to hit someone? Since when has that been a thing?"

"Hiccup you're really making this much more awkward than it needs to be." The emotion that Hiccup thought he heard developing in the back of her throat was turning back into anger. Back to the good old Astrid.

"I'm not-"

"Just do it already!

"You…you want me to hit you?"

_::Yes! What are you waiting for?!::_

"Oh great Odin's ghost you're dense!" She rolled her head back before finally looking Hiccup in the eye again, the sullenness of earlier replaced with a frustrated rage and masochistic desire. "I want you to take your hand…" She grabbed Hiccup's left hand and balled it into a fist. "And punch me right across the face. Just once, that's all I'm asking. Is that so hard?"

Hiccup drew his hand out of Astrid's grasp and took a few paces back, still trying to understand the ridiculous demands being placed on him. Hit Astrid? Why not just challenge Thor to an arm wrestle? It was as equally a ridiculous proposition.

"As-Astrid…why the Hel would you want me to hit you? What do-"

"Oh Hiccup for gods sakes I'm _trying_ to make amends with you now would you get it over with!" It confused Hiccup how the longer he delayed the angrier Astrid became. Weren't people supposed to _not_ like getting punched? Wouldn't she be calmer if she wasn't getting hit? Astrid was still a mystery to him sometimes.

"No! No Astrid I'm _not_ going to hit you!" Hiccup took an assertive step forward, hands held firmly by his side where he was convinced they would stay. "No I-I don't _want_ to hit you! Why the Hel do you think I would?" The question seemed to halt every thought in Astrid's head for a moment as the two stared each other down. Now it was her turn to fall in processing his words as the defiance sunk in as honest and true. She sulked back, coming to grips with how futile her request had become in the face of such opposition. "Astrid…where is this coming from?"

Astrid retook her seat with a thud as Hiccup leaned back against another pine tree. Thunder again roared in the distance and all could feel the first small, light raindrops penetrating the canopy overhead dripping down through the pine needles and finding a final resting place on the tops of their heads. "Astrid…"

"It's just not fair okay?" She moaned out as she took her head between her hands rubbing her eyes gently. For a brief moment Hiccup thought to ask her if she was crying, but he wasn't dumb enough to dare bring up such a thing. She may not have hit him at all this past week, but he wasn't taking any chances in insulting her honor so directly. He was relieved to see her eyes dry and open as she lifted her head after a moment to address him.

"I've been…I treated you like _shit_ for almost eight years now and I just…you've been…you haven't even brought it up since you…you know…kidnapped me. Just…I don't know do something, say something! I don't want to have to wait much longer to get this over with so just say what you want to say and let's be done with it okay!?" She bit her lips gently as she finished, revealing her discomfort at being left so vulnerable with her honesty. It took Hiccup a moment to gather a response, the situation being so unlike any he had ever prepared for.

"Oh…uh…okay um…" He was off to a lousy start and he knew it. "If you want to talk about…_that_…uh…" Hiccup had never prepared to have this conversation with Astrid. He'd been quite content to believe that Astrid would never feel guilty about everything she'd done to him. Even if he'd held out hopes that maybe one day they could be friends again, the frequency of her abuse and the leadership she displayed amongst the other teens when it came to such matters had left him convinced that she had no remorse, that she was sincere with every blow and insult. _This_ was…certainly not something he'd expected; then again this entire situation wasn't exactly in the master plan of how his life was supposed to go, so surprises were going to have to be expected. He tried to gather his best response as his stammers proved unsatisfactory to convey his thoughts.

"Okay look Astrid…" He took one final, staggered breath before moving on. "What…what happened back on Berk, that's the past now. Okay? I left that life behind there. It's um…yeah maybe my life back then did kind of…well suck…but that's not my life anymore. And it…it doesn't have to be your life anymore Astrid. I kind of wanted to start my life over when I made the decision to leave. And now that you're here you can do the same. I don't want vengeance for something I'm leaving behind." Even if it was by his own opinion a little incoherent, he hoped his words would ease this situation as he continued on to the more direct issue.

"I don't _want_ to hit you Astrid. Even back then when you and the others were making my life Hel I never wanted to hurt you. You're um…um…look the point is that me hitting you isn't going to fix anything. If you're sorry then…well I guess I actually appreciate that." The smile that such a consideration brought to Hiccup's lips was contagious enough to warrant a change in expression from Astrid, who allowed herself a smirk as she recovered from her previous demands to be struck. Hiccup knew the girl was probably scolding herself on the inside right now for acting with so little pride.

"It's okay Astrid. That's all I want to say is that it's _okay._ What's done is done, no worries."

"But there are worries." Astrid was quick to use Hiccup's silence to her advantage. "I mean…me and the others we…all I can think about is how I treated you _every_ _day_ all these years. You _should_ want at least something…revenge or retribution or something. It's not healthy to be so forgiving, especially after _everything_ we…after everything I put you through."

Hiccup mulled over her words in silence a moment. Was she right? Was his willingness to pardon all her abuse just another one of his abnormalities? Was his desire to be her friend and something more stopping him from exacting what any other man would desire if put in his own situation?

"Look Astrid, I don't know what you want me to say or do-"

_::She wants you to hit her! What are your waiting for?!::_

"But…I'm _not_ going to hit you. I won't. Yeah maybe I guess I _should_ be a little more angry or vengeful, but that's not who I am. I don't…I mean how are we supposed to be friends if we base it all off of who hit each other last? Rather pointless isn't it?" This was one argument above all others that Hiccup wanted to win. Hitting Astrid was about the furthest thing from his desire at the moment; he'd much rather she hit him than to reciprocate a blow. He really was a strange one now that he thought about. "Alright…now can we drop it?" He wanted this conversation to end, finding it much too uncomfortable to be discussed in such dreary conditions.

"…Fine. I'll drop it on _one_ condition."

"Oh you and your damn conditions…"

"You have to accept that you get _one_ free hit on me at any time of your choosing. You don't ever have to use it, but I just to let you know that you have it." Her face brightened as they again reached a compromise, and Hiccup couldn't help but crack a grin at her masochistic insistence.

"Deal…I guess."

_::A fine opportunity wasted…:: _Both humans scoffed at the dragon as the first few raindrops that had penetrated the trees above multiplied and expanded into a heavier downpour thick blobs of water winding their way down the thick pine needles above them to splatter atop their heads, slowly dampening their hair and darkening their clothing with the moisture.

"So uh…that's that I guess. So we just…enjoy the rain for now?"

_::Oh no you don't.::_ Toothless raised himself from his rest and walked over to Hiccup. _::We had a deal as well::_ Toothless easily nudged Hiccup to the ground with a nod of his head before falling on top of the boy, taking him in his arms and wrapping his wings around him.

"No wait Toothless I didn-mmhm….mmmhhmmm." The voice became muffled as Hiccup vanished within the dragon's wings, drawing a laugh from Astrid as she heard the boy trying to roll out the creature's clutches.

_::You and I agreed that you were going to stay out of the rain. You humans are too weak for this sort of thing. How you've possibly lasted as long as you have considering is a mystery, but not one to be reflected upon now. Now hush.::_ The dragon curled up tighter around the boy, cautious enough to give him space to breath but intent to protect every part of his rider from the elements that now descended through the forest canopy in a deluge.

Astrid, unfazed by the cold rain that pierced the treetops continued to giggle as she saw the dragon's wings being struck from the inside by a none too pleased Hiccup.

"Mmmhhh…MMMMHHHHH-LESS!"

"On second thought…you do look comfortable under there Hiccup…"

"MMMHHHH! MMMMMHHHHHHHTOOOTHSSSSSSSSSS!"

"But I think my blanket will keep me warm enough." Astrid adjusted her seat to under a thicker looking tree as thunder roared above. Pulling over Hiccup's pack she removed the single blanket she understood to be only hers and placed it over her head in a double layer, curling her knees close to her body to keep warm as the cold Irish rains descended in their full might. She pulled the remainder of the blanket close over herself as a lightning strike added a brief flash to the dark sky visible through gaps in the dense needles.

"Having fun there Toothless?" She asked as the torrent of water reached a steady pace, beading off the dragon's scales and collecting into puddles around the reptile.

_::Hiccup's safe and you're suffering…I'm ecstatic.::_

"TOOOOTTHHHHSSSS!"

_::See? He is having the time of his life.::_

"So it seems." She let on a moment as the rain continued to pour and the dragon shut its eyes in an effort to ignore her. "…Oh yeah, weren't we going to talk about that whole 'mating thing'?"

"MMMMHHHH! OOOOOTHLESS! MOUT I'MMMMHMHMHMHHMM! NAMHMHMH-STRID!"

_::I don't think he wants to talk about that matter right now…::_

"MMMOOOTHLESSS!"

"Mmh, that's what I thought." Astrid smiled at realizing that such an awkward conversation could wait till another time. Preferably never, but that wasn't exactly a guarantee. For the moment though, she could rest easy knowing that Hiccup was just as uneasy on broaching the topic as she. Still the timid boy that watched her from the forge with longing eyes. The boy who had the decency to give her the only blanket between them as he endured the over protective nature of his dragon. A boy who was even willing to forsake any attempt at vengeance on her after eight years of torment, all in the name of being her friend.


	6. Sanctuary

Isolation is difficult.

In the short term, it is a state of being that can rejuvenate and give a great new energy to the soul after a long time of interaction and exposure to other people. In the appropriate amount, it is among the greatest blessings the body can give the mind, a glorious lapse from others to contemplate, meditate, and heal mental wounds so as to better manage the passage of life and time.

Fifteen years of isolation however, is a trying and painful process.

Valka-her only name for the past fifteen years- walks slowly across a pathway of rock that bright green moss has covered in a thick, plush layer that dampens each footfall. Her double-sided staff twirling in her hands lazily, an act she has performed so many times that it had become second nature, each twitch and sudden movement of her fingers perfectly timed and executed in a pattern she had done too many times to count.

Ahead of her, beyond the exit of the stone corridor to which she walks there is a low and constant humming sound, the collective chatter of hundreds of dragons going about their daily business in the grand chamber of her sanctuary. It is a sanctuary for both of them, as much for the dragons she looks after as it is for her.

Fifteen years ago she was taken away from her home, the village of Berk. Fifteen years ago she had made a decision to stay here, solely amidst the company of dragons and herself than to return to everything she had ever known, which she could now only remember through a lens of disdain and pretentiousness.

All her life she knew she had been different. Ever since she was but a child there had been a soft spot in her heart for all living creatures. She would come home from long days in the woods with squirrels and birds in captured tow, wanting to take them into her family's house where they would be protected from the elements, only to have her parents turn them away and set them free. Valka did not understand it at first, why nature and human were kept separate. To her it seemed only logical that the two worlds should try to cooperate, to take care of one another. Humans used nature; it was only fitting that they should reciprocate some respect back to this great world of beauty in which Valka had spent much of her childhood.

It was not long after these memories though that her concern shifted from forest creatures and birds to Berk's ever present enemy, dragons. The war had at first been of little concern to her as the young child was hurried under tables or beds and kept indoors while the parents went out to fight. She had been as scared as any young girl would be, hiding away from the flashes of fire outside her window and holding her hands over her ears as the screams and moans of dying men and dragons filled the air. At first she thought that beasts that brought such destruction and pain to people must have been evil, and there was brief time in her life where she committed herself to ridding her village of such demons.

Then she had actually gone out to fight for the first time, and everything changed. She had done everything perfectly, wielding a small mace with brilliant enough precision to have bludgeoned a Timberjack down to the ground, disorienting it enough that a killing blow with a knife was within her reach. She had reached for the blade, and held down the dragon's neck as she went in for the coup de grace. She decided to look the creature in the eye one last time; she wanted to remember her first kill well. She found the orange orbs and tried to signal the beast that this was the end as she raised the blade and prepared to drive it into the dragon's neck.

But she couldn't.

She couldn't quite describe the feeling that had come over her at that brief moment, nor did she think she would ever find the words even if she studied every language known to man. It was some kind of indescribable plea for mercy that came from the beast, a desperate prayer to be spared and to someday give restitution for its misgivings. Valka had tried to block out her emotions and focus on bringing the blade down on its neck. But the more she looked, the more she felt her grip on the knife loosening as pity came over her, an entire worldview shattering as she backed away from the dragon and let it slither off into the night, fate unknown.

Ever since that night she found herself at odds with the entire village culture, trying her best to conceal it but finding that as time went on and the destruction of the raids continued without end it became harder and harder to hide her feelings. She could see with every attack how the dragons would try their hardest not to fight, to simply grab what food they wanted and leave without conflict. They never sought out battle with a Viking; nothing in all of Midgard was that insane. But did any of the villagers, even the man she fell in love with care? No. The only good dragon was a dead dragon, and nothing she tried to argue otherwise made any impact upon them.

She squinted as she walked out into the sanctuary, the powerful refractions of sunlight beaming through the ice overhead illuminated the entire cavern in a shining light, giving nutrients to the many plants that spread out along the rocks. A constantly rotating circle of dragons flew in unison around the central pillar that protruded from the bubbling waters below. The din of the dragons combined with the rushing waters of dozens of falls and brooks that ran up and down the cavern, fed by the endless supply of fresh, perfect water that ascended from the depths below. A pack of Thunderdrums flew up from the main lake below, taking their place with the droves that circled overhead. She took a deep breath, inhaling the light aroma of vibrantly healthy plant life mixed with the strong, earthy scent of hundreds of collected dragons.

A familiar Scuttleclaw walked over towards her as she stepped out onto the ledge before her that divided into two pathways that led deeper into the cavern.

"Ah...Dagr it's nice to see you too." She let the dragon nuzzle its forehead against her chest, appreciating the sudden warmth of the creature as it pressed into her. "How are things my precious?" The dragon moaned lowly, exhibiting dejection and sadness. "Ohh…Frig still denying your advances is she?" It moaned again, huffing against her breasts. "Now don't you worry boy, I'm sure she'll come around soon enough." She rubbed the dragon's nose and sent it on its way before straightening her garments and taking the left path down towards the hot spring below.

Dagr and Frig were her current object of fascination, giving her first hand information on Scuttleclaw mating rituals that for the most part proved to be very entertaining. It was cute to watch the two creatures play and interact with one another, dancing the difficult path to love as the male tried with such desperation to win the respect and admiration of the female, who remained cold and distant even though they otherwise seemed compatible.

More memories came back to her as she descended down the same rock path she had walked every day of her life for the past fifteen years, alone.

Isolation is difficult.

That fateful night always seemed to creep into her consciousness when she was in a depressed mood. There was fire everywhere, the screams of a village up in arms and to their own defense as the dragons again came in force to take their food and test the resolve of their warriors. She had gotten so sick of it by this point, the pointless fighting that her own husband was so adamant to continue. It was such a pity really. Stoick was otherwise a noble, upstanding man; a strong and caring person who she was sure was being an outstanding father in her abscence. But he couldn't see anything in dragons that she did, he couldn't see past his own hate.

But that night, she simply couldn't keep up with the charade any longer. She'd actually gone out and tried to stop the violence, prohibiting downed dragons to be harmed and trying to find that same kind of agreement she had found so many years before with that Timberjack. She was willing to put herself in harm's way to stop the senseless fighting, willing to sacrifice her own life if necessary amidst the fiery bedlam that engulfed the village. There was one thing however she would refuse to sacrifice, something which her maternal instincts would hold onto and defend regardless of what she had to fight.

Her son.

The moment she saw the Stormcutter entering her house any sense of peace or understanding left her. Her darling Hiccup, only a few months old at that point was still in his crib, so frail and vulnerable. She _had_ to defend him, no matter what got in her way. She rushed into the house and grabbed the nearest sword as she burst into the nursery. Her baby was so delicate, so fragile. No dragon, regardless of its true intentions or emotions was going to hurt this piece of herself, her first child to actually survive past a week.

And yet what she had seen amazed her. Little Hiccup was _playing_ with the dragon, the creature watching over the infant with amusement and curiosity, oblivious to her presence as she lowered the sword, stunned. She had been willing to kill one of these creatures for the first time in nearly five years, and yet the one time where she could work up the nerve, the dragon seemed so innocent, so curious towards the child that toyed at its claw without hated or suspicion. The dragon accidently rocked the cradle, giving a wound to the young babe under the lip as it turned to face her, not yet angry with her even as she bared a sword. It only wanted to examine, to inspect her with simple curiosity.

In that instant, everything seemed to finally change. Whatever doubts she had of herself vanished as she lowered the blade, allowing the dragon closer to her as it moaned a docile coo. Everything she had thought, had theorized since that first night with the Timberjack was true, made fact in this single encounter.

What happened after was still difficult to organize. An axe had landed between her and the dragon as her husband screamed for her to run. The Stormcutter had unleashed its fire against the house in its own defense. Stoick had run to grab Hiccup through the blaze. Valka had tried to calm the dragon, feeling that she now held the answer to all the world's problems. The dragon had instead taken her in its talons and before she knew it she was hoisted from the ground below and into the chill of the night, crying out her husband's name as she started to fear for what would become of her.

She hopped down from the pathway onto another plateau of moss covered rock, dancing her way over a series of small streams as she did every day, adding a new twirl as she hopped onto a rock, closing her eyes and enjoying the feeling of circular movement as her hair whipped across her face. She hopped down another set of natural rock stairs as she descended further towards the cavern floor, a drove of Nightmares flying close overhead.

A single dragon swooped down from the higher area of the cave, taking its place next to her as it landed, greeting her with great familiarity.

_::Good morning Valka, all is well?::_

"Oh yes Cloudjumper still holding strong." The Stormcutter walked along the moss covered rock with her as she descended further, the dragon having learned that his companion preferred to walk when it came to traversing the sanctuary, embracing all its glory at an even ground level.

_::You seem to be in a melancholic state of mind. Something appears to be troubling you.::_

"It's nothing Cloudjumper, I'm alright."

_::As you say.::_ The dragon was brief as the two approached the most important place in the entire sanctuary, given status not by its location or its own beauty, but of the creature that called such a place its home. Valka bowed before the dragon, kneeling on one knee as her staff aligned with her left arm, swinging around her back and in perfect symmetry with her body. She was but an ant in comparison to the size of the towering Bewilderbeast to whom she called attention. Cloudjumper lowered his head in his own gesture of respect.

"Capitolinus, I bid you a joyous day."

_::All honor and praise to you my lord.::_

The Bewildrebeast began to turn, torrents of water falling off its tusks as they were raised out of the large pool the dragon sat in. Large waves crashed against the nearby rocks as the massive body rotated to greet the two that paid it homage. Its large blue eyes focused on Valka as she raised herself back up, her homage received as she stood in the shadows of the towering white creature.

_::VALKA…GOOD DAY TO YOU. YOU SEEM IN DISTRESS. IS EVERYTHING ALLRIGHT?::_

_::I thought the same my lord, though she claims to be in good spirits.::_

_::VALKA, IS SOMETHING THE MATTER?::_

She shied her head away from the Bewilderbeast's massive eyes that she knew no amount of lying or aversion of body language could fool. It was an ability she often wished she could emulate, but at times like this it frustrated her how she could be rendered so open to the infinitely wise creature.

"It is…it is only a bout of loneliness Lord Capitolinus, nothing I have not experienced before."

Capitolinus tilted his head slowly, eyes still focused upon Valka and her confession. _::YOU DO AS ALWAYS HAVE THE OPTION TO LEAVE WHENEVER YOU DESIRE VALKA.::_

"No!" Valka knew she was a little more forceful in her rebuttal than she needed to be, but it was only because this was always Cloudjumper and Capitolinus' first solution for any of her troubles. "No, it is not a longing for home my lord. This is my home, and I would not trade it for anything else. It's just…" She led off into indecisiveness, unsure on how to properly convey her emotions.

_::WHAT IS IT VALKA?::_ The voice of the Bewilderbeast-if only in her head- was always so calm, so reassuring. Here was a creature who had lived as long as humans had gathered in the earliest cities, had seen and been through so much and endured the greatest of disasters, and yet he always had time and concern for her tiny, comparatively insignificant problems. She sometimes did not think herself worthy of such a creature's company.

"I…It is only a longing for human company. Sometimes…sometimes I just…" She shook her head with a grimace, dismissing her own depression. Even after fifteen years of trying to totally cut herself away from her past life as a member of human society, there were still points when she wondered. What had become of Berk? What had become of Stoick? Had he managed to hold on all these years amidst the pointless fighting that she knew he would never give up on? Had any of her friends and other relatives managed to survive as well? Were any of them even attempting to make peace? What of her son?

What of Hiccup? She had abandoned him that night, left him in a cruel belligerent world with only a warrior father to raise him. He had been so weak and delicate when he came into this world a few weeks earlier than expected, resulting in his unfortunate name. She sometimes thought that maybe, just maybe whatever it was inside her that made her see the truth had followed through into Hiccup. She would offer prayers to Odin and Freya that her son would see through the hatred and animosity, that he too would discover the truth and succeed where she had failed. Whereas she had chosen to accept her removal from the village, had become determined that everyone she knew was incapable of change, maybe her son would find the way. Maybe he would have the courage to stand up against tradition, unlike her. Whereas she had run away, Hiccup would be the one to stay, to change everything where she had failed.

"It's…it's nothing my lord. I would like to move on from this please." The defiance in her tone was easy enough for the nearby dragons to catch on to. She took a seat on the moss, staff lying over her crossed legs. Cloudjumper hunched over her, wings blocking her peripheral vision and directing her focus on the Bewilderbeast.

_::AS YOU SAY CHERISHED VALKA. NOW, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT TODAY?::_

Valka contemplated what topic she'd like to hear of for the afternoon, much like she did most every day for the past fifteen years. It was always a great way to ease her thoughts, to simply listen to the Alpha go on about one of the many stories of distant lands he had gathered before the Great Destruction. It was among her greatest pleasures to debate philosophy with the creature, going on for hours on what it meant to be human and to live with others, be they human or dragon.

"Oh…I don't know…why don't we go over that great war in Grikkland, between Sparta and Athens? That one is always entertaining."

_::ONE OF MY FAVORITES AS WELL. LET ME BEGIN THEN…AFTER THE GREEKS HAD REPULSED THE INVASIONS OF PERSIA THE COUNTRY FOUND ITSELF IN A STATE OF TEMPORARY UNITY, DOMINATED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE CITIES OF ATHENS AND SPARTA…::_

Valka leaned back into Cloudjumper's stomach, embraced in her friend's comfort as the Alpha filled her head with stories of the distant land of Greece, where two entire peoples waged a bloody war with each other until the bitter end when one had finally beaten the other. It was bloodshed with a point, with the fate of an entire country at stake as the two entities played the great dance of war, finding great success and even greater misfortune as they committed themselves so fully to their causes.

This was her life now, learning all that she could from this magnificent beast and tending to the cares of the hundreds of dragons that paid him homage. She was the lone human amongst them and yet perhaps the single most welcome. She was one with the nest, its caretaker and protector from all threats that others of her species would inflict upon it. She was the lone defender, one woman committed to the lives of a hundreds of dragons. Isolated, but never more sure of herself.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

A powerful gust caught Toothless in its grasp and pushed him back several yards before Hiccup could stabilize the tailfin and set them back on a steady course. The icy air continued to pound at them, slashing at their cheeks and fingers as it flowed over them, howling past their ears as they pressed on into the storm. Large clumps of snowflakes struck them from every odd angle, forming into thick layers on their brows and clothing. Those flakes that missed them quickly dashed by in a steady, curving stream of white particulates, each only visible for a short fleeting moment before they flew past them and back into the darkness.

_::By the Moon Goddess why did we not stop earlier? I do not know how much longer I can keep flying in these conditions…::_

"Yeah I know bud just hang on a little bit longer you're doing fine."

Even amidst the darkness, Hiccup could tell that the ground beneath them was not suitable to land on. He was hoping that there would be some kind of forest nearby in which they would have some manner of shelter from the snow and cold. Instead all he could see beneath him was an endless sea of white, the snow rapidly accumulating into a single dense layer that seemed to extend on forever. And even if there was a forest nearby, it would be hard to see amidst the darkness even if assisted by reflected moonlight off the snow.

"Hiccup-"

"I know Astrid we're…just hang on we're going to be fine."

"No…" Astrid gripped his ribcage tighter to scold him for interrupting her as she pressed her head closer to his ear, seeking both his mutual warmth and a position at which she could better talk to him. "No Hiccup…down there on the left, I think-I think I see something. Looks like a building. Should we stop there?"

Hiccup tried to survey everything to his left, finding that indeed there was a vague rectangular silhouette that was just barely visible amidst the darkness. In any other condition it would have been nothing of note, but with each blade of wind that sliced at his face it looked more and more appealing. "Hey…what do you know?" He shifted the foot pedal and engaged Toothless into a holding pattern as all tried to get a better view of the structure.

"Well? What are you waiting for!?" Astrid demanded into his ear as another gust threatened to freeze her hair off. Even with both of them wearing the second sets of clothing each had, flying in the middle of blizzard was not a feat that many dragons, let alone humans could ever be comfortable with. Her ears were in a striking pain with each brush of air that collided with them, her fingers almost unmovable despite being pressed tightly against Hiccup's chest.

"Hold on! There might be people down there! We don't exactly want to just show up uninvited…on dragon back no less." Hiccup was trying to keep a level head as he scoured the nearby darkness for any lights that would be indicative of a town or village, but he was just as desperate to get out of this cold. He was barely holding on to Toothless with his legs, having ducked his fingers underneath his legs to keep them warm. Even the very act of seeing was becoming difficult as the wind pelted his eyes with thick globs of snow and the cold threatened to actually freeze the lids themselves shut.

_::I would be more than happy to dispose of them if it means we can get out of this madness!:: _Toothless shook his head and huffed into the air, sending up a thick cloud of rapidly cooling breath.

"I know you would bud…alright let's head down, just keep your eyes open for people. I don't know what else is around here but I don't want to take any chances." Hiccup switched the pedal position again; Toothless was quick to take note and plummeted towards the barn, making the wind all the stronger the faster he descended, even if for only a few brief, painful seconds. They landed on the snow roughly, crunching the thick and wet substance underfoot as Hiccup and Astrid quickly dismounted Toothless and jogged towards the nearby barn door.

_::I could simply blast it open…::_

"No Toothless. This is still somebody's property, and as long as we're using it for shelter while unbeknownst to the owner we have to take care of it."

"Yeah yeah niceties can wait let's just get inside!" Astrid trudged through the snow, the pack across her shoulders but hardly encumbering her as she dashed towards the door. "Well don't just stand there give me hand with this thing!" If only by being accustomed to it Hiccup was quick to pay attention to Astrid's screaming and walked over to her as she felt through the darkness for the edge of the door, dimly illuminated by the reflective snow. "Okay! Here it is, now pull!" The two grabbed the wooden edge and pulled at it with all their strength, slowly moving the heavy wood frame to its side as they tried to find some traction on the slick snow they crushed beneath their feet. Toothless wandered into the dark barn cautiously, sniffing into the air a few times between each step. Hiccup and Astrid followed him in, reveling in the sudden sanctuary. It was cold but at least safe from the damaging winds that pummeled the outside.

"Come on come on…got to be one around here somewhere." Astrid felt along the sides of the wall closest to the door, slapping the wood and creating a dull echo on the other side of the barn.

"What are you-"

"Ah ha!" She dismounted something from behind Hiccup and felt her way along Toothless' side until she reached the dragon's head. She held out a long stick soaked in rags that gave off a terribly industrial aroma that Toothless reared his head against when the stick was held in front of him.

_::What? Is that supposed to impress me?::_

"No you stupid reptile! Use your fire…_gently_. Heat it up so that it will catch fire and we can see what the Hel is in here."

_::…Could have asked a little more nicely… but very well.::_ Toothless lowered his head back down towards the stick and opened his jaw, a dim violet at its back growing in intensity and giving heat to the stick as Astrid moved it closer to the dragon's head. _::Ugh…wretched smelling thing this is.::_ The stick soon burst into flame, becoming engulfed in a stable orange cloud of fire that gave some much needed illumination to the dark barn interior. Rustling could be heard in a few nearby stables, quickly followed by an assortment of frightened cries from a few horses and sheep.

"Ah shit they'll wake anyone within a mile if they keep this-" Astrid's angry lament was cut short by a brief but fierce growl from Toothless as he stomped a paw into the dirt. A few more short growls had settled the animals down save for the few last wines and huffs from the horses, all vague silhouettes in the darkness of the barn's far side.

_::Kneel before your master you insolent vermin! Silence yourselves or I shall make a feast of your bones!::_

"Whoa…" Hiccup, his body shivering and teeth chattering laid his hands on his friend to try and warm them; though finding the dragon's hide was just as cold as the outside air. "T-T-T-Toothless…H-How did you d-do that?"

_::Simple creatures startle easily, but they are even more easily subdued by one of such superior breed as I. They should be trouble for us no longer.::_

"Huh, n-n-no kidding." Astrid mumbled as she set down the pack, using the darkness to hide her sudden jolt from the dragon's intimidating roar. Even if she was still getting along with Hiccup for the duration of her captivity, the sudden outburst by the dragon was enough to remind her that he _could_ keep her for as long as he desired. If just a short roar from the beast was that terrifying, she did not want to contemplate what the creature could be like when truly enraged.

"W-W-W Well? Let's get…let's get this door closed and hunker down." Hiccup was quick to obey and made for the wooden square, beginning to push on it again. After a few long groans and huffs, the door remained open, Hiccup's legs almost coming out from under him as he slipped on the slick snow that was quickly making headway into the barn. "Oh f-f-for gods' sakes…" Astrid placed the torch back in its holster and went to help the poor boy as he continued to push with all his non-existent might at the heavy wooden frame. With Astrid's assistance they were soon quick to clasp the door shut, cutting off the last few drifts of snow that attempted to pile into the building. She just as soon left Hiccup by the gate as he rubbed his arms in both an effort to warm up and to soothe a growing pain he was feeling. He'd probably pulled something, but that could wait. Considering the mutual misery they were all in, this discomfort was the least of their troubles.

The winds outside battered at the entire barn, roaring with ire that the two humans and dragon had escaped its clutches. It sung a deep melody as it assaulted the building's exterior, demanding they return to the outside and its chilling embrace. The three inside remained defiant as they breathed into their hands and took in the surroundings. The barn seemed fairly basic in construction, a single hall divided along a wide path, multiple stables lining the opposite sides. They could feel a draft coming from an upper deck where there was probably a small opening, indicating that the building was not as secure as they would have hoped. Still, it was a roof over their heads and walls against the wind, sanctuary enough.

"S-So, what now?" Hiccup turned to Astrid after feeling his hands against his cheeks, finding both were as equally frozen. He was surprised to find her trying to open the pack she had leaned up against a stable wall. She was fumbling with the single latch, her numb fingers failing to push it as they winced at the very touch of the cold metal. "What are you doing?"

She turned to him as though he had asked what color the sky was or whether or not it was cold at the moment. "I'm-m t-trying to get my blanket out of here. What does-s it look like I'm doing?" She tried to undo the latch again, only to find the cold metal was as harsh against her skin as a molten blade.

"A-Astrid, we're in a barn…does it look like we-we've got the c-c-conditions to set up a blanket here?" He gestured to the cramped space that the hallway offered, littered with barrels and boxes Hiccup surmised to be feed for both animal and man. "B-b-besides, that one blanket is not going to do m-much against this draft." Astrid refused to take her eyes off Hiccup as he actively refused her the one thing of comfort she had. She understood this blanket to be hers and hers alone, that was part of the agreement with Hiccup. How could he deny her this one item, especially with such a devastating temperature descending upon them?

"W-W-Wh-what do you mean?" She asked sternly, trying to indicate with her tone that she thought Hiccup was acting in his usual idiotic manner. He instead only turned his back on her and peered into one of the stalls directly to his right, opening the door and surveying the size a moment.

"T-Toothless, you think you can f-f-fit in here?" The dragon idled over to Hiccup and nuzzled his side as he took his own view into the dimly lit box, sniffing it a few times.

_::A little cramped maybe, but considering the conditions such circumstances are preferable.::_

"Perfect. Let's go th-then." Toothless was quick to hop over the side of stall and settle down on the hay inside, padding it down before nestling with a low moan. Hiccup turned back to Astrid while he walked in. "Come on."

She stalled a moment, wincing at the pain in her hands and feet as she tried to brush some of the snow off of them. "W-What?"

"More body heat. You'll w-w-warm up quickly when you're around him-m. C-C-Come on." Hiccup averted his gaze quickly as he moved further into the stall, his cheeks gaining some warmth at his own embarrassment. In other circumstances inviting Astrid to sleep next to him would be an occasion of joy, a long awaited conclusion to a decade of desire. For now though it was a matter merely of survival, stripped of whatever connotation or implication that such an act would otherwise imply.

Astrid walked forward slowly, trepidation slowly ascending up her frozen spine with each painful step. Did he actually mean for them to sleep next to one another? Awfully forward of him perhaps? Though her fingers _were_ frozen, and that draft _was _pretty strong.

"Well C-C-Come on or we'll f-f-freeze!" Hiccup was a little more forceful in his request, spurred on by a painful tingling in his toes that curled beneath his snow covered leather boots. Toothless had rolled over onto his side, his paws open and welcoming and his wings beckoning to close around at least someone in a cocoon of warmth and security.

_::Either you get in now or I leave you to your own devices. I am letting too much of my own heat escape as it is…::_

"Astrid…you _need_ to get warm or you'll lose your fingers by morning. You know this as much as I do. There's nothing…_bad_ about surviving. P-P-Please…" He extended an arm to her, his fingers stiff as they struggled to maintain a healthy temperature. Finally Astrid stepped forward again, weakly slapping his hand out of the way to avoid a stinging pain in her own fingers from a forceful touch. She followed him into the stable where Toothless adjusted himself to accept the two.

_::First she forces more weight on my back, now she makes herself welcome inside my embrace. When will the degradation end?::_

"Exc-c-use me but I'm m-m-making her welcome inside here. Unless you w-w-w-want to be flying a f-f-frozen-" Hiccup's rebuttal was broken by a very powerful gust from the top of the barn that snuffed out the torch, leaving them in virtual darkness as the deathly gale attempted to remove the last of their heat. "Al-r-right then…all the m-m-more argument to g-g-get warm." Astrid felt five cold digits delicately wrap around her wrist and pull her forward as Hiccup led her through the darkness. "T-there you are T-t-Toothless. C-Come on Astrid." She kneeled with him as they fell onto the hay, cool but comfortable enough to sleep on.

She turned on her side as she followed Hiccup's hand pulling them closer, the warmth of Toothless gently stroking her cheeks as she neared the dragon's chest. Soon Hiccup stopped as she sensed that he had gotten right up to Toothless' chest. He gently tugged at her hands as she tried to bury herself in the hay in an effort to keep as distant from him as possible even under the conditions. She knew how men thought. She'd heard at least a dozen stories around the village of similar incidents befalling all sorts of couples, married or otherwise. He was bound to have heard them as well, and she didn't want to contemplate what was going through his head right now.

They crawled into the vague outline that could barely be identified as Toothless' body in the darkness, crunching the hay beneath them as they awkwardly crawled. They laid down next to each other, several inches apart. "Okay Astrid just-ow!"

"What?"

"Your skirt stabbed my hand! How the Hel do you wear this thing!?"

"I haven't heard you complaining about it when we fly! Besides I-wait, why was your hand at my skirt!?"

"Wha-I just-uh-I-uh…I'm-I'm just trying to find a comfortable position…which your fortress of a skirt is s-somewhat prohibitive to!"

"Good! It's s-s-serving its function then!" There was a brief silence after her rebuke. To Hel with survival, she was not going to just submit to Hiccup's touch because the situation demanded it. She was going to get warm, and nothing else. All his fantasies that she knew he contemplated every time he watched her from the forge window were not coming true tonight, or any time for that matter. Nature may have been on Hiccup's side tonight, but her sense of dignity was stronger.

"…ugh…fine. Just try not to lose your fingers by morning and I'll see you then. We're all set here Toothless."

_::I would argue differently…but that would imply I care. Good night.::_

The dragon's wings closed around the two of them, separated by an armored skirt and a few inches of slowly warming air. The barn was quiet except for the occasional snort or rustling of another animal shifting in its sleep, dreaming nightmares of being devoured by the alpha predator that dozed nearby. Astrid kept her fingers close to her neck as she tried to warm them up while the temperature within the tight cocoon of Toothless' wings steadily if slowly rose. Still, she felt cold, her fingers tingled painfully as blood _tried_ to force its way back into the near frozen capillaries, but the air that surrounded her was still not enough to thaw her body as much as she'd like. Even the sanctuary of Toothless' wings was not enough to truly give her the comfort she desired. She alone was not enough to satisfy herself.

It took a while, but she gradually found her back inching closer towards the dragon's warmth, finding another body blocking her path. Mindful of the spikes in her skirt, she gently nestled in next to this other person. She never looked back, never wanted to see any expression on this body in the darkness. That body behind her was _not_ Hiccup, the boy who had kidnapped her yet only wanted to keep her safe. It was only a body, a neutral entity that could keep her warm amidst the winter chill. She did not want intimacy, did not yearn for the touch of his hands on _any_ part of her body. For right now there was only one purpose to the figure next to her, warmth.

Yet at the same time, there was something so _real_ about this heat, something so assuring about the subtle feelings of her body pressed against that of another human. It was survival, she told herself. She was comfortable because she was surviving. She was surviving because of this body next to her, this entity that only wanted to protect her. She was surviving because of it, this body in the darkness that was giving her the gift of life. Hiccup-she finally admitted to herself-was the source of this joyous feeling, of security and protection and defiance against the cold. She would get through this night because of Hiccup.

Just before sleep overtook her, when she was just upon the precipice of an absent mind, she was momentarily startled by something awkwardly being hoisted over her abdomen, missing her breast by a few inches. Hiccup's arm, however lanky and devoid of bulging muscle was remarkable in how natural it felt. She could hear his breathing, slow and restful against the back of her hair, small wisps of each exhale brushing past her ear. She could feel his heart beating at her back, idle and rejuvenating, never losing its steady rhythm. With each relaxing pulse she could feel the blood running up and down the veins and arteries along his arm that gently held onto her as she descended and deeper towards rest at last. So much of her wanted to believe that he had still been awake when he had managed to catch her in his grasp, but she had to admit to herself that he was most definitely _asleep_, that she wasn't allowed to get angry at an action he had no control over. More importantly, she didn't _want_ to get angry. This arm, this heart, this body, this warmth were all merely trying to keep her safe. Hiccup was keeping her safe. As darkness finally overtook her, as her body felt a renewed comfort at the warm blood that flowed both within and beside her, she let out a final sigh; not of misery or resignation, nor boredom or defeat.

A sigh of happiness.

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

Hiccup found himself quickly awoken as Toothless unfurled his wings and leaped out of the stall with a growl. He heard several feminine cries of surprise, and found he had fallen on top of Astrid as Toothless pounced on whatever had summoned his attention. Astrid's eyes flipped open just as Hiccup was removing himself from on top of her, praying that she didn't think anything of the encounter. His body was struggling to quickly adapt to the suddenly cold air of the barn's interior now that he was outside of Toothless' wings, his eyes strained under the late morning sun that penetrated through the upper windows to give illumination to the building. Astrid groaned as she turned over on the hay, pulling a few large straws out of her hair.

"Ah Toothless what the Hel's gotten into you?!" Hiccup exclaimed as he ran his hand through his hair and finally adjusted his eyesight, finding that the dragon was hunched over something in the main hall of the barn. Several of the animals were still squealing from the sudden lunge of the predator. Another roar from the dragon silenced them, but left in the wake of the guttural sound came another cry, distinctly human and distinctly female.

"What the-Toothless!" Hiccup quickly put Toothless' posture and the girlish cry together and bounded out of the stable and around the dragon's side.

_::Wretch tried to sneak up on us with a sword! See!::_ Toothless momentarily gestured his head over to the side where Hiccup saw that indeed a small blade-eerily similar in construction to the one he had gotten from that fisherman-lay abandoned on the ground. Realizing that addressing the person trapped beneath his dragon's claws was the more important matter for the moment, he peered down past Toothless' head to the girl trapped beneath.

Her skin was the very embodiment of the color white, devoid of any and all kind of pigment. Hiccup had always thought he had fairly pale skin considering how much time he spent inside, but this was something else entirely. Snow itself would shy away in shame at the purity of her skin, so sterling it seemed. Her hair in contrast was a luscious red, rolling down to beyond her shoulders like crimson waves, filled with a burning vibrancy that complemented her blank skin perfectly. Her face was youthful in appearance, and Hiccup wouldn't believe this girl to be more than a few years older than him.

_"__Cé tú féin__?"_ She called on his attention in Gaelic, drawing Hiccup's gaze back from her hair to the rest of the face. She was visibly scared at her circumstances, and with a low murmur from the back of her throat directed Hiccup's attention towards her eyes. He almost took a step back when he noticed them, shimmering in a delicate…violet hue? Were people even _allowed_ to have purple eyes? Did the gods condone this? Were they even aware this could happen?

"What is it?" Astrid asked from behind the two, walking forwards to inspect that which had left Hiccup so stunned.

"Uh…just a girl."

_::JUST a girl!? She would have killed you in your sleep were you not under my protection!::_

"No! Toothless just hang on and let me talk to her. Let's just get this figured out first."

Toothless' head sank and his eyes shut at Hiccup's defiance. _::Why is it that every time a female of your species tries to kill either of us your first instinct it to TALK to her? This is a very poor strategy if you seek to survive.::_

"Norse?!" The sound escaped from the mouth of the girl trapped underneath in a soft voice that betrayed the pressure she must have been feeling on her chest. "I speak your tongue Norseman."

Astrid had picked up the discarded blade and twirled it in her hands as she inspected it. "So, she was trying to kill us was she?"

_::More importantly she was trying to kill ME! Honestly Hiccup what have I done to deserve such mistreatment?::_

"I was only coming in here to check on the animals. I saw the dragon and I thought it would attack me. I draw my knife out of fear and then it pounced! How was I to know you two were inside?! I never meant to harm! I swear on the holy cross I meant no harm!" Though her Norse was competent, her accent was the real area of Hiccup's attention. It was rich and filled with a distinct Gaelic vigor, belonging to a girl who appeared to embody the very nature of this country.

"No harm eh?" Astrid huffed as she looked down on the girl, the knife held firmly in her clutch as she likewise took a special interest in this girl's violet eyes. "Why oh why then don't I believe you?"

"Astrid…easy..."

_::Although I hate to admit it, there is a very good chance that Astrid is right. This girl is likely just trying to stall her demise. Am I right my little red haired one?::_ Toothless put a little more pressure into his hold on the girl, letting out a low growl of satisfaction as she moaned beneath the heavy paw.

"The hay! I brought in fresh hay for my horse! It's over there! Proof of innocence yes?" She pointed with her finger towards the opposite end of the barn where there was indeed a small, tightly wrapped bale of hay.

"Huh..."

"Hiccup…" Astrid pulled at his shoulder and wheeled him around to face her still skeptical face. "For all we know that was there when we got in last night and we missed it in the darkness. She's probably just using it now to try and get away. She may not even have a horse…"

_"__Spiorad__!__"_ The girl beneath called out in Gaelic to the three's interest. It was only a moment later that a low neighing could be heard in one of the stables further down the barn_. "__Spiorad__!__"_ She called again, this time drawing another whine but also the sound of hoofs. A medium sized horse, of breed unfit for war or work but still nonetheless mountable presented its head out of the top of the stall, leaning into the low door that stopped it from going to its master. "See, it comes when called. My horse. I bring hay to horse. Innocent."

Hiccup could hear growls come from both Toothless and Astrid, the former as a simple means to keep intimidating the girl held within his clutches, the latter at realizing that said girl might in fact be telling the truth. "Alright, can we at least go about this in a civilized manner please? Toothless… let go of her."

_::Do I REALLY need to say once again that this girl was ready to take a knife to me? Tell me, was Astrid the exception or do ALL females make you act like an idiot?::_

"I don't want to hear it. She seems trustworthy enough, now let her go." Toothless huffed and rolled his eyes but nonetheless did what he was told, stepping back and releasing the girl from his grip. Hiccup did not even look back at Astrid for the moment, knowing she disagreed with the decision just as much as the dragon. Why did everyone have to be so hostile? Couldn't they just talk this out and settle it peacefully? Between Toothless and Astrid, Hiccup wasn't sure who the more violent.

The girl stood up slowly, hand rubbing at her sternum as she leaned against the nearest stable door. She wore a green tunic that hung loosely over her shoulders and finally cut off below her knees, over which was worn a small cloak that barely reached below her abdomen, colored in a grey that shone as though made of silver, desperately attempting to reach the color of the girl's luscious skin but failing. The cloak itself was held in place by two silver broaches, crafted in the shape of swords that seemed to be drawing the eyes to the ever so barely showing cleavage that the break in her tunic revealed, as though daring Hiccup to stare. Instead, considering himself the master of avoiding awkward stares at women-to which Astrid would fervently disagree-Hiccup continued to focus on the girl's face as she caught her breath and recovered. Those eyes…those brilliant violet eyes. How was that even possible?

Astrid had walked back around Toothless and stood opposite Hiccup, keeping a close and skeptical watch on the girl, the Gael's blade held firmly in her hand to be used at the first sign of trouble.

"Are you alright, Toothless didn't hurt you much did he?"

_::Only because you seem to have this soft spot for violent females…::_ The dragon's candor drew a dry huff of amusement from Astrid. The red haired girl instead only tilted her head at Hiccup as though they had suddenly started speaking another language again.

"Toothless…?"

"Oh! Right, Toothless do you mind?"

The dragon rolled his eyes for one more time that Hiccup thought was excessive before opening his jaw to reveal his teeth before slowly retracting them, much to the Gael's delight. She clasped her hands together in amusement as she displayed her own teeth with a gleeful smile. They were nearly as white as her skin and could possibly blind if placed in the proper angle congruent to sunlight. "Ooohhh…amazing. It is…it is yours? The _bean sí__?"_

"Well..._he_ is what we call a 'Night Fury', and I guess you could call him mine, although we are really more so friends."

_::Yes, it is a glorious friendship where the sensible one has to constantly rescue the idiot from being killed by overly aggressive females. Truly a partnership blessed by the Moon Goddess herself…::_

The Gael was curious as to why the brown haired boy had slapped the dragon on the ear with a disgruntled expression before redirecting his attention back to her.

"Oh, and she over there is Astrid. She's…a…uh…_friend_ of mine." Astrid kept a stern face as she started to flip the Irish girl's knife around her fingers, looking for something to occupy her time as well as intimidate the Gael. Even if she was innocent, there was something about her that made Astrid uneasy. Maybe it was the way that Hiccup was so quickly defending her, or perhaps that she seemed so willing to get along with them after such a violent opening encounter. Her father had always told her not to trust those who immediately trust you, for it meant that manipulation was in store. Still, Astrid couldn't quite place where her suspicion was coming from, she had only known the girl a few moments. Maybe it was nothing, or at the very least just the eyes. Seriously, were people even allowed to have violet eyes?

"So what uh…what is your name?" Hiccup asked, hoping that the situation could take a turn for the better. The girl moved away a lock of her hair that had gotten in front of her face and smiled at Hiccup, beckoning attention towards her face and those mesmerizing amethyst eyes.

"Sinead. Only kin and daughter of Chief Brian of the clan Toole. He is the ruler of this village of _Talamh__an__Bán_."

"Shin-aid…okay I think I've- wait! Village? As in…your village is nearby?"

Sinead tilted her head again at Hiccup, more locks of her dense red curls falling over those majestic amaranthine circles. It was hard not to stare at them. They seemed to mesmerize in their tranquility, capable of reassuring the most downtrodden of peoples with their luxurious hue. They were amazing, perhaps capable of putting Astrid's own eyes, as magnificent as they were in their shimmering blue to shame. Could it be? A girl even more beautiful than Astrid?

"What? You think that there is just barn in middle of nowhere for you to sleep in?" Why would I walk so far in snow?

"Well uh…we were flying last night and we got caught in the storm. We just-Astrid saw the barn from the sky and we just rushed in here to seek shelter. It was dark, we couldn't see anything."

Sinead was much more willing to believe the story of the Norse than they had been of her own, and accepted the testimony with a small smile of the lips, the only part of her skin that appeared to have any coloration whatsoever. "Very well. Understandable, snow was very bad last night. Well, not bad as in not good, just very bad storm that brought it. I like snow; it's very pretty, especially when there's lots of it around."

"Uh…yeah. I…I like snow too. Don't you like snow Astrid?" Hiccup gave her a glance, pleading that she drop the aggression and apprehension. This girl seemed innocent enough, and it's not like she had done anything that would bring misfortune upon them. She was even pretty calm around Toothless, so she couldn't be _that_ bad after all. Besides, how could a creature of such resplendent beauty _not_ have the most benevolent of intentions at heart? Why couldn't Astrid see this? Why couldn't she marvel at the girl's beauty?

"Yeah, yeah…snow's great. Now what about your village? Where is it? How many?"

"Uh…just down the hill outside the barn. You mean people who live there? No more than a hundred since the last time I count them all."

"Mmh…sounds like a lot…"Astrid shifted her gaze to Hiccup, trying to indicate her apprehension as to their presence being known."In that case, we had better be off then. We wouldn't want to be discovered now would we Hiccup?"

"Why?" Sinead's question was so simple, so innocent that she may as well have asked Astrid for the meaning of life.

"W-W-Well you're…you're alright but wouldn't your villagers want to kill the dragon? I mean…he _is_ a…well…_dragon…_"

Sinead squinted at Astrid, turning her head with a blank stare and a curious demeanor, completely oblivious to the point the blonde was trying to make. "What do you mean? Why is this a problem?"

"Uh…because dragons _are_ a problem? At least where we're from they are…" Astrid felt as though she were talking to a rock. How could somebody not be aware of the menace that dragons could pose to a village? Could it be-

"Ah! But there are no dragons around here. Least not since Saint Patrick drove them away and that was a _very_ long time ago. I am sure my father and the others would be very interested in seeing one for the first time in their lives…especially one _ridden_ by people. Very impressive." She redirected her attention to Hiccup and gave him another of those smiles with her impeccably white teeth. "You must come see father and the village, they will be so surprised!"

"Uh…"

"We'd love to…_really_…but I'm afraid we should probably be going. We've got…things…to…" Astrid was discovering that lying only worked if there was something to actually lie about.

"No we don't…" Hiccup was quick and direct in telling the truth, for whatever reason Astrid could not possibly understand. He couldn't possibly think this was a good idea could he? They'd spent the last two weeks hiding Toothless away from humans like an evil criminal, why now the sudden change of heart? Because of the testimony of one girl with an almost otherworldly appearance?

"We'd be… I mean since we're here we might as well introduce ourselves shouldn't we Astrid? Toothless?"

_::I will assume that whatever logical and pragmatic option against this I give will be completely disregarded will it not?::_

"Probably…" Astrid added, giving a skeptical glare to Hiccup. Sinead instead clasped her hands together again and gave another of those smiles that Astrid was rapidly growing to dislike.

"Good! You agree then…Asztreed?"

"Wha-I-uh…no I was just agreeing with-"

"Yes! She agrees…we'll spend the day…provided your village doesn't try to attack Toothless." Hiccup kept his gaze away from Astrid, who he could see just out of the corner of his eyes weakly pointing a finger to Toothless, trying to finish her previous sentence.

"Oh no! No person will harm him! You have my word." Sinead took a few steps forward towards the Night Fury, who sniffed her a few times suspiciously. "C-can I touch him?

"Uh…sure. You don't mind do you Toothless?"

_::You have put me through greater insults…I will allow it.::_ Toothless lowered his head and presented himself to the Irish girl, who slowly caressed her fingers-thin, feminine and so delicate looking-over the top of his head, skipping her index over the small bumps that rose in a line across the center, tracing them to the back of his neck and running her other hand under his head, smoothing over the scales beneath. She looked in closely, showing no fear of getting within inches to the dragon's face as she studied him, and he her.

_::Huh…violet eyes. I was unaware that humans could have tho-::_ Toothless collapsed on the ground as a smile spread across his lips, his thoughts breaking off and leaving only an echo in Astrid and Hiccup's minds. Sinead bounded back as the dragon fell, intimidated and fearful she had done something wrong.

"It's alright. You must have struck his pressure point, he likes when people do that because it relaxes him."

_::Alright, she is fine by me.::_

"Great! Should we uh…go then?" Hiccup turned to find that Sinead was already looking at him, summing him up and appreciating his composition with those brilliant violet eyes. Entrancing in their vibrant color, fascinating in their uniqueness. Each part of her body seemed to accent each other perfectly, as though she were a spirit of nature's beauty manifested. With skin as white as the snow outside, Hiccup would believe it in a heartbeat.

"Yes. I have knife back first thought?" It was only by Sinead breaking her stare at Hiccup that he himself realized he had in fact been staring at her. She turned over to Astrid, her grip on the long knife loosening but still firm. Hiccup joined Sinead in staring Astrid down, this one matter of business denying them all a sound conclusion to conversation.

"Astrid…come on she's harmless." With a suspicious scowl Astrid flipped the knife around in her hand and handed the hilt back to the Gael, who gently extracted it from Astrid's hand and sheathed it beneath her cloak. She showed as little fear around Astrid as she did the dragon, which only served to irritate Astrid more. Did this girl not understand the tenseness of the situation? Was she really so simple minded?

"Very good. I show you to village now. Come." She led the way with a skip and smile, making a quick diversion to deliver the hay to her horse as she went ahead of them to the opposite barn door, tugging it open to reveal a deep layer of immaculately fresh snow that nearly blinded Hiccup as they approached, so strong was the sunlight that reflected off of it.

Toothless reluctantly got up and fought his way out of the ecstasy Sinead had placed him in and trudged along behind Hiccup, Astrid staying with the dragon as she grabbed the supply pack which Hiccup had so easily forgotten about as he followed the Gael's movements. He seemed immediately fascinated with this girl, and Astrid could see why. Her movements were graceful and delicate, her complexion remarkably fair and accent endearing. Astrid finally conceded to herself that _maybe_ they could let their guard down for the day, considering how innocent this girl seemed. Still, there was something about her that Astrid was wary of. It wasn't anything outright, not anything in the way she acted or carried herself, but just a feeling that Astrid couldn't explain.

Maybe it was just the eyes.


	7. Sinead

_I've gotta try_  
_ It's not over yet_  
_ No signals of love_  
_ Have you left_  
_ My heart is bleeding just for you_  
_ Bleeds for only you_

_ And it hurts to know the truth_

_ Are you looking for saviors_  
_ Chasing a dream_  
_ Love turned to hate_

_ Now I'm crossing the border_  
_ See then I fade_  
_ But I'm not afraid_

_ Oh Sinéad,_  
_ For the first time_  
_ Life is gonna turn around_  
_ I'm telling you_  
_ You will like it, I know_

_ Oh Sinéad,_  
_ It's the first time_  
_ Only you can set it free_  
_ Oh Sinéad_  
_ Come break away with me_

_Sinéad-Within Temptation  
_

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

The Irish were certainly an interesting assortment.

Multitudes of them had come to see the Norse visitors throughout the day, braving the cold and deep snowpack in bare feet, astonishing Hiccup most of all. Nearly all seemed a decade or more removed from a haircut, and wore the thick mops of brown, black, gold and occasionally red hair either without restriction or tightly wrapped in buns or braids. They mostly wore clothing of perpendicular stripes, many brandishing short cloaks over long tunics and loose fitting pants. They were as fair skinned a people as Vikings, and the ferocious winter cold brought great patches of red to their cheeks and noses as young and old alike turned out to see the dragon and those that rode it.

Many had whispered amongst themselves in astonishment at the creature, holding back in a half ring while clutching small necklaces beneath their tunics in the shape of two perpendicular lines. Hiccup could only surmise that it was a popular design amongst the Gaels, even if he couldn't fathom why. Toothless of course gladly propped up his shoulders and walked about with so much confidence and hubris that even Hiccup found enough within him to stand up straight in the presence of the masses. He knew the Night Fury was absorbing all this attention like a hero returned from battle, resplendent with the admiration bestowed upon him.

Some amongst the crowd had shown a great deal more fear than Sinead had said would happen, and began shouting their complaints and worries in a mixture of Gaelic, as well as a fair amount of Norse that surprised Hiccup greatly. These few, mostly either the oldest or youngest of the village were silenced and assuaged by two men. One was Chief Brian, a tall and slender man whose wrinkled face was showing his age, deep canyons carving themselves out upon his cheeks and forehead, chasing at his receding grey hairline. He spoke little, but those few words that escaped from his cracked, grey lips were heeded to with the utmost respect and honor. The other was a younger man who was dressed solely in black, a single long robe as devoid of light as Toothless' scales enveloping his body, only another of these seemingly omnipresent crosses hanging from his neck, a piece of sterling silver that shone as brightly as the sunlight reflected off the snow. Together, they had assuaged the fears of these villagers, whatever they might have been.

The short amount of daylight was spent both inside and out, showing Toothless around the village as Sinead and her father translated questions and answers to the villagers, only some seemed able to speak Norse while the rest were capable of going on for hours in the fast moving and easy flowing Gaelic tongue. As the stars began to appear in the sky and the sun was chased form the horizon a cold wind from the East rapidly escalated in intensity. The chief had then insisted that the most honored guests at least stay the night lest they be once again caught in the ferocious winter chill and this time without a barn or welcoming tribe to be found.

The house of Chief Brian was modest by most standards, and showed a tendency to function over form that left it wanting in decoration and a more welcoming atmosphere. At the same time, the hearth that blazed fiercely close to Hiccup was a comfortable feeling, as was the thick stew that filled his stomach and the watered down ale that accompanied it. Toothless curled up close to the blaze, apathetic to the conversation going on about the table where the four sat. Hiccup knew the dragon was probably done with human interaction for the day, having exhausted himself proclaiming to the masses-even if only heard by Astrid and Hiccup-of what a resplendent looking and mighty creature he was and how they should all kneel before him and adorn him with all their food and so forth. He had instead received only a single pig, which he accepted with groveling as Hiccup gave him a private lecture on the values of modesty. The night fury probably hadn't paid the slightest bit of attention, but Hiccup was determined that he would break through to the beast eventually. No creature could really be _so_ narcissistic, could it?

Hiccup and Astrid sat across from each other, Sinead and the chief in the same manner at the narrower ends of the table. The two visitors had used a momentary absence of both hosts to clear dishes to agree amongst themselves that any kind of wife or mother to the household must not have been present, probably dead. They dared not bring up such a depressing fact and instead stuck to conversation of more lighthearted topics. They had established a ruse that they were travelers from the Hebrides, representatives from two of the most powerful families there on a mission of exploration to distant lands. It was certainly a better sounding story than "_Hi, my name's Hiccup and this is Astrid who I kidnapped away from our island and am holding until Jul against her will. How are you?"_ Astrid had been a bit reluctant to go along with the lie at first, but Hiccup had convinced her that it would make things easier for all of them if the Irish did not know the truth. To Hiccup's relief, Astrid proved remarkably adept at making things up on the spot and did not rat him out. It comforted him to know that at least she cared enough about him not to sic an entire village of Gaels on him and Toothless; at least they were making progress.

"So Hiccup, where will you and Astrid go next? There are many of your kind in _Port Láirge_ and _Baile Átha Cliath_, this is good for you yes?" Sinead had seldom taken her gaze off Hiccup the entire night, and likewise he had been transfixed upon her, marveling at the amethyst eyes that seemed to call him closer with every blink and sudden movement. Her father only had eyes of an unremarkable hazel, and nobody else in the village seemed to have such a luscious shade adorn their face. It must have been through the workings of the gods that this girl had received such a stunning color; there could be no other explanation.

"Oh we…uh…maybe is all I can say. We really just kind of go wherever the wind takes us. Who knows where next is?" He tried to shy away from Sinead, but he couldn't seem to escape her piercing violet vision. She looked so sweet, so demur, hand crafted in Asgard itself and unworthy of a mortal existence.

"We will probably just keep exploring this country for the time being, see what else is out there." Astrid added, clearly more assured than Hiccup. His behavior around this girl was so skittish, so distant it concerned her. Even back on Berk he was never this uneasy around girls, not even her. And here was this girl, not even known by him more than a day's time and he was acting like an unsteady fool. Yes her eyes were fascinating, but couldn't he get over it by now?

"Oh…but you do not wish to see other Vikings? They are your people yes?"

"Oh well…uh you see we uh…"

"It's considered inappropriate to be a guest at _Jul_ time, it is supposed to be a time dedicated only to the village. We wouldn't want to impose." Astrid shot Hiccup a glare to say _seriously, pull it together you idiot!_

"Well you no impose on us, yes father?" Her voice was cheerful and so full of a passion to serve her visitors. The father remained reserved, and only gave an affirming nod as he took a light sip of stronger ale that Hiccup had declined and Astrid found unsatisfactory to taste. "It is good to have you here Norse people, the dragon especially." Toothless' ears perked up a moment before settling back down as the reptile continued his slumber.

"Well…uh thank you very much Sinead and…uh…yes thank you as well Chief Brian. I must ask though, why-more so how do you speak Norse? You are Irish yes?" Hiccup turned briefly to the chief, as expressionless at receiving questions as he was at giving answers. When Hiccup turned back to Sinead however, he found that her violet eyes seemed a shade darker, that some of the joy for life and amazing vibrancy with which he was so fascinated had seemed to leave them. This disappointed him greatly. Her eyes were so amazing! Why should they show darkness and fear? He wanted to bring them back to their previous full luster, wanted to alleviate the pain that had overcome these glorious portals to amaranthine paradise.

Chief Brian lowered his tankard and shifted in his seat, face and eyes without concern or care for anything, not even what he was about to say. It was remarkable how an entire village could pay heed to such a man who seemed so apathetic to life itself. "We have for many years been in conflict with your kind of peoples as they come to our land seeking plunder. For the past generation our clan has maintained peace with them, and some of us have learned your language in order to maintain good relations."

"…I'm sorry." Hiccup knew he had nothing to apologize for, he hardly felt any affiliation with his Viking name now that he was free from Berk's grasp. Still, he knew the tales of Vikings who were driven South because of the dragon raids, seeking gold and weapons and slaves to sustain themselves against the draconic onslaught. Still, these were still a people with whom-regardless of difference in personality and appearance-he still shared a common blood with. He, being an ambassador for his blood in this land felt an obligation, however unnecessary to give condolences for the actions of others he did not know.

"It is alright…we have ways of keeping peace. Your people can be bought off with a variety of goods, even if their hunger seems insatiable." Sinead began to sink low in her chair, drawing Hiccup and Astrid's interest. Blood began to show underneath her cheeks as she blushed, her eyes draining of their amaranthine vibrancy so much that it alarmed Hiccup. What could be making this girl so despondent all of a sudden? He would do anything to get those violet eyes back; he could never live with himself if he let such a brilliant color fade from existence in his presence.

Brian raised his tankard and gestured to his daughter, his shoulders slumped and expression suddenly more melancholy than usual. "Vikings have a steep price, one that must sometimes be paid in a man's own flesh and blood." Sinead righted herself back up in her chair and put on an attempt at one her sweet, demur smiles which Astrid could see through as clearly fake. "She, my cherished love is the price for peace. A sad if noble cause."

Sinead shied her head away from her father and glanced at Hiccup, immediately drawing his attention to the violet eyes that suddenly lit back to life with a dire and pleading expression. Astrid leaned in to try and get the girl's attention, but found that both she and Hiccup were ignoring her, having a conversation of looks that Astrid found herself shut out of, much to her irritation.

"It is…it is a good cause, ensuring the safety of the village for another decade. I am to be wed to the chief of the Coppinger's after the New Year." Her voice seemed so devoid of her previous cheer and zest for conversation, it disturbed Hiccup. How could a girl as wonderful and unique as this be exchanged like a common slave?

Although, with a body and personality akin to a goddess, this _would_ make her all the more desirable. Which she was…._very_ desirable. He couldn't deny how splendidly and neatly laid out every aspect of her body seemed, how every curve of her face concaved inward towards her neck, like a statue of skin resembling a marble pillar. The shadows of the room and the flickering of candles cast shadows upon her collar that bent and twisted around the silver brooches that held her cloak in place. Her curves continued down her entire body, the gentle slopes of her chest protruding out so subtly yet with such profoundness, enticing in how they seemed to draw his attention yet wanted to hide away, making them all the more desirable as a result.

"Yes…a sad price for peace but a worthy one. She will save many people my daughter. It is for the best." Sinead nodded her head quickly at a shallow angle, curls of crimson hair bobbing around her face and chest with each abrupt shake. Hiccup leaned back in his chair, visibly perturbed though saying nothing. Astrid kept to herself, more apathetic than her counterpart. While sad, this girl should be _happy_ to be saving the livelihood of her own people. Did sacrifice mean so little to the Irish? Could she not see that her mood was making Hiccup sad with her own self pity? How dare she manipulate his emotions like that, what gave her the right?

"Yes…for the best." Sinead whispered with a transparent insincerity to her voice. Chief Brian however seemed to little mind his daughter's tone, and got back to his ale, guzzling it down in an overly loud slurp. "Now if only Seamus hadn't died we would have the horseshoes to ride…" Her lament was signed with a note of cheeriness, hinting at the hope that a lack of travel could call off the wedding. Hiccup however did not seem to catch on to her aspirations.

"Well…I mean…your blacksmith is dead?"

"Yes, heart stopped in the middle of making a sword, face fell on hot metal. It was scent that made us aware of what had happened." The rather unpleasant scenario earned a grimace from Astrid and a full on expression of terror in Hiccup. Being Gobber's apprentice meant he was well aware of the perils of working with hot metal, but the tale of this poor Seamus was-he was convinced- going to give him nightmares and make him even more apprehensive when performing his one and only skill in the future. "We made an agreement with another blacksmith from _Baile Átha Cliath_ to come join the village, but he will not arrive here until after New Year. We are left without an iron worker for this time."

Whatever glare of apprehension or doubt or simply _say no you idiot!_ That Astrid sent Hiccup's way was lost on the boy as he spoke up. "Well I'm a blacksmith! I could…uh you know help you if need it…" Whatever sense of confidence or self assurance Hiccup was trying to admit was not important to Astrid, instead only was the expression wrought upon Sinead's violet eyes that seemed to glow anew at Hiccup's words. It puzzled Astrid, this new vibrancy that came to the girl despite Hiccup offering to craft the instruments of her damnation. She _seemed_ disheartened, yet at the same time there was a new optimism to her expression, as though she saw a gilded lining to this situation that Astrid did not. Her joyfulness was grating, her sudden changes of expression confusing.

Chief Brian lowered his tankard slowly, his face shining with a newfound interest in the boy and his offer of skills. "You wish to stay Norseman? Will this not interfere with your plan of exploration?"

"Exactly Hiccup! We can't stay too long in one place or we'll-"

"No Astrid, I mean our tribe really has no restrictions on how long we stay out here, so long as we return with information. I mean-If we base ourselves here we could survey the countryside around a lot couldn't we?" Hiccup's argument while sound caught Astrid off guard. Was he really just going to set up shop here so easily? Whatever happened to being free, exploring and all that? What, because some violet eyed Irish girl needed to be married off he was willing to join civilization again just like that? Why would he even want to help a girl be sold off as a bride anyway? He seemed so fervent and resolute about his ideas of protecting her; did this courtesy not extend to Gaels, even ones with a beauty seemingly granted by a higher power?

"This is good! Father Liam has said that God is sending more storms this way in the coming days. You will be safe in the village." The luscious violet seemed to return to Sinead's eyes, her expression again full of passion and zeal. Astrid kept quiet, wearing a neutral demeanor to disguise her frustration. Granted Hiccup may be her protector of sorts and her only real friend in this world, but by the gods he could be an idiot at times. Why was he suddenly paying such attention and catering to the whims of this girl who he knew so little about. And what of herself? Did her interjections and protests suddenly mean nothing so long as he was in Sinead's presence?

"This is good indeed." Chief Brian spoke up, replacing his daughter's control of the conversation. "You stay until New Year, and then you may go. Agreed?" Astrid let free a smirk to see Hiccup's expression change at the recommendation. Here he had an agreement with her to show her as much of the world as he could before _Jul_ in the hopes of winning her voluntary companionship, but were he stuck in a village, how could this come about? She knew that he wouldn't dare abandon his commitment to win her over so as long-

"Deal. Until New Year we stay."

That did _not_ just happen.

"Oh good!" Sinead broke out into another of her cheery, optimistic smiles that were _really_ starting to get on Astrid's nerves. Why should she be so cheery now that her wedding was guaranteed? Were the Irish simply gluttons for misery? "It will be very good to have you here. New Year celebrations are very happy affairs. You will enjoy it."

"Yes I'm sure we will." Hiccup's smile infuriated Astrid nearly as much as Sinead's. So much for being independent and free roaming. "I mean…so long as Toothless can be taken care for.

"Yes. Whatever stores we have you may use…although I would request that you at least attempt to catch things from the wild. We are rather limited in surplus this year."

"Oh that's fine…he likes fresh meat anyways."

_::Yes…closer to alive the better.::_ Toothless batted his ears up a moment, indicating to the gathered that he was still somewhat awake.

"What do you say bud? How about spending a few weeks around people who _don't_ want to kill you?"

_::So long as the proper adoration is received I have no preference.::_ A low moan was all that was heard by the Irish, but even they could see it as enough of a sign of the dragon's goodwill.

Astrid sat quietly, caring little for the conversation as she rounded the rim of her cup of water. She _could_ tell the chief the truth, with any luck he might take mercy on her and punish Hiccup. It was certainly possible. Then again, she simply couldn't find it within her to rat him out just yet. He was still the body that had kept her warm last night, still her companion in this strange endeavor to explore that she was slowly coming around on. A warm bed in a village that _wasn't_ in a state of perpetual war did sound comforting. Besides, if it meant that she could feel the same sense of protection and security of Hiccup's arm wrapped around her for a few more nights, she was willing to play along. She couldn't deny how well rested she had felt that morning, even if she was woken up rather abruptly thanks to Sinead. That indescribable comfort of being cared for without want of anything in return was unlike any sensation she had yet known. Perhaps a return to village life wouldn't be _so_ bad after a few weeks of freedom. Besides, such intimacy would allow her to protect _him_ against this Irish girl, who seemed to have him mesmerized into a trance of obedience.

"Of this is very good then. Father, who has free beds?"

"Mmh…Father Liam always has one at the church, and the forge itself has one as well. You two may decide which one gets which." Astrid was silent a moment too long, struck by the fact that the chief seemed to be denying her the new comfort she was just starting to enjoy.

"Oh well that's very kind of you chief but…we…uh…I mean me and Astrid are…" Hiccup tried to change the situation for the better, giving Astrid some relief that he felt some of the same compulsion to be near her as she did him.

"You are…you are together? Married? At so young an age?" Chief Brian raised an eyebrow, his question serious in both tone and implication. As much as Astrid loathed the idea of actually being anything more than a friend who enjoyed the proximity of another to Hiccup, if faking such an association meant that she could still feel his arm around her, she would be willing to play along. Hiccup however, seemed oblivious to her own desires, eyes still keeping a steady gaze on the shifting curls of Sinead's crimson hair. Seriously, what was it with this girl that had him so infatuated? Whatever it was, Astrid felt like she needed some of it for herself.

"Well…I mean no…not like _that_…I mean…no…I mean…"

"You are friends yes? This is what you tell me this morning." Astrid could have bounded across the table at Sinead at that instant, indignant at her attempt to separate her from the kidnapper that she wanted to hold her in the night. She barely knew either of them, what gave her the right to separate them? All this girl had done was introduced them to a village and given them a hot meal. How _dare_ she play a role in dictating what she and Hiccup meant to one another, even if Astrid wasn't entirely sure herself.

"Well…yes. We are friends."

"This is all?"

"…yes." Astrid could feel the disappointment in Hiccup's tone at his admission, and felt it just as much as she did. Even if he was still the boy that she knew desired her in ways she was not prepared for, there was something about his touch, his proximity that she was slowly coming to enjoy. And now that was denied to her because Sinead had to interfere with them, daring to separate that which was not even together. "I suppose…I'll take that bed in the forge. Makes me closer to work all the same. Astrid…you want to take the one in this…_church(?)_…then?"

He had finally broken his fixation on Sinead to address her with undivided attention for the first time that entire evening. She tried to convey with her face that he was making a stupid mistake, that she would be alright playing along with another ruse if it meant she could be near him. He however seemed to have forgotten what it meant to have an obsession with her, and was willing to separate himself from her even if she had just started to allow him to come close. It apparently just took a pair of fascinating eyes and some stupidly sweet looking smiles to turn his priorities upside down. This girl was trouble; Astrid could feel it in her blood that boiled with every word that rolled off the Gael's tongue. She pursed her lips and rolled her eyes, trying desperately to get Hiccup's attention and infer to him that she was upset.

"Sure…whatever that is."

"Oh Father Liam will make sure you know he will!" Not even Astrid's glare of death seemed capable of diminishing Sinead's jubilance at the new paradigm. She was not sure what this Liam person or his specially named building had in store for her, but it wasn't going to be anything she was particularly excited for. "Oh it will be very good to have you in village! Just in time for Christmas too!"

Astrid ignored Sinead's further cheeriness and shot Hiccup a final glance, trying to convey her anger and desire to talk about this later. Instead, his attention was already reapplied to Sinead, lost in a trance of fascination about this girl who exuded joy and innocence in the midst of such dreary and depressing circumstances. What had Astrid become, a spirit? Even if she was, she could not seemingly compare with the nature and appearance of this Irish girl, who could easily rival all deities and manifestations of the divine for looks. Hiccup was already lost, transfixed on every giggle, every sudden movement of her face and hands, the minute movements of muscle beneath that stunningly pale skin. She had trapped him in her beautiful daze, had settled him down in this village when Astrid knew he only wanted to be free among the clouds with her…and her alone.

Chief Brian left soon after the deal had been made, leaving his daughter alone with Hiccup and Astrid to observe. Gradually she took to studying Toothless' scales to occupy her time, managing to block out Sinead's accent as the hours grew longer and later and Astrid wished she could just go to this bed held in the care of a man called "father" despite clearly not being Sinead's actual father. She could feel a hole developing in her heart the more Hiccup relished in Sinead's presence as compared to her own, barely even acknowledging her existence except for the occasional verification of a detail on Berk. Sinead as well paid her no attention, giving Hiccup sweet little smiles and giggles even when the anecdote mentioned was barely humorous at all. And yet every single detail drew Hiccup inward, further into her hold as he relished in every subtle movement of her face, all of which only served as a supplementary feature to her amethyst eyes, entrancing in their majesty.

She bit her lip as Hiccup continued to ignore her, a feeling she could never remember having had to suffer through, at least not at the hands of someone she _wanted_ to receive attention from. She kept to herself the rest of the night, occasionally paying attention to Hiccup and Sinead talking about village life both here and on Hiccup's rendition of Berk, mostly accurate expect for the part about dragon training and the "accidental" kidnapping of Astrid Hofferson. He'd kidnapped her, and now dared to ignore her. He'd rather spend this evening reveling in Irish company and marveling at the looks and mannerisms of a lone Celtic beauty, admiring every feature of hers visible above the table, including some barely concealed firmaments on her chest that made Astrid self-conscious of her own. She'd never felt this way before, never had concern for her appearance and considered her body fine the way it was. Now though, this Gaelic manifestation of Freya seemed to be vying for every position she had ever held. Her beauty, her personality, her very aura seemed intent to dominate Hiccup's focus, shutting Astrid out from the boy's adoration, breaking an eight year long process of worship in a single day.

The Irish certainly had an interesting effect on people.

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

A gentle flurry of snow had descended around the village; large flakes fell from the heavens in a calm manner, undisturbed by wind and lazily descending to join their comrades in the thick blanket that already covered the ground. Against the chill, the forge fires had come to life, worked and manipulated by a young visitor to the village who felt more at home around burning iron than anywhere else. Small clanks and hisses were heard regularly as bright red metal was moved from station to station, going through a long and arduous process of being transformed from a useless fruit of the earth into an item of useful application.

Hiccup had found the bed in the forge to be exceptionally comfortable, featuring a mattress stuffed densely with soft hay and layered in wolf and deer pelts that held back the winter chill as a castle wall does all attackers. Hiccup could certainly get used to sleeping in that for the next few weeks. Not even his father had had such an amazing place to sleep, mostly because he would give his own mattress away to the patriarch of whatever family's house had burned down during a raid.

He wiped his nose of the sweat and oil that had accumulated on it as he dipped the burning orange horseshoe in the water again, a thin wisp of smoke rising from the bucket of freshly melted snow. Hiccup had little experience in making horseshoes, but after looking over some reference pages conveniently laying about the forge, he was convinced it couldn't be too hard. Horses were after all a serious hassle for Berk. They were large and tasty targets for dragons, and took up too much space and resources that could be better spared for the people. Besides, on an island where was nowhere was more than a day's walk, what good was a horse anyways?

The curved U shaped metal was lifted out of the water and laid to rest on a nearby bench as Hiccup discarded the large tweezers he'd used to lift the burning iron. He took a brief walk out of the forge and picked up some snow, rubbing it between his fingers and over his face. As comfortable as the warmth of the forge was, even in winter there was only so much heat a man could take before it became uncomfortable. The biting sting of the freezing air and the snow against this body was shocking, but a pleasant respite from the exhaustingly hot forge work.

_::So much effort to manipulate a little piece of metal…always the perseverant ones you humans are.::_

"Hey you're _always_ welcome to contribute something hotter mister 'I can incinerate your bones'. Ever think about helping?"

_::I would…but I enjoy watching you work hard. It is admirable to see a creature like yourself struggle so hard to defy the odds of nature. It is respectable, noble even.::_

"That and you're just having too much fun where you are now aren't you?'

_::That may or may not have an impact on it as well.::_

Toothless had spent much of the day near Hiccup in the forge, preferring to wander around in the gently falling snow and attempting to catch very particular flakes in leaping bounds. Rolling around in the pack was another distraction for him, turning up the multiple feet of snow and squirming in the loose powder with joy, relishing in the feel of the cool substance against his warm skin. For all his pretentiousness and high sense of self, it made Hiccup happy to see the dragon enjoying such simple pleasures as they kept each other company.

Much of the village appeared to prefer the indoors today, watching the dragon and the boy who rode it from afar, hopefully with the same amusement that Hiccup had. They at least weren't panicking or gathering in mobs to attack the creature, so that was proof enough for Hiccup that they were content with the current situation. He stretched his arms behind his back as the smallest of breezes pelted his face with a few clumps of the snow. Toothless had sat back on his hind legs and watched him with curious eyes.

_::Is the work done now?::_

"Oh there's always work to be done…just taking a break."

_::Good. Enjoy it then.::_

"Wha-" Hiccup couldn't finish his question before he felt Toothless' tail take him out at the legs, sending him into the freshly turned up snow with a thud, most of his fall broken by the powder.

"Ha-ha!" Toothless was quickly on top of the boy, batting him with a paw gently as Hiccup blocked each one and launched light hearted jabs at the dragon himself. They had taken to playing this game in those few weeks of isolation back on Berk, taking turns attempting to tackle one another down as a predator does prey. Toothless almost always won, giving Hiccup an occasional victory to bolster the boy's spirits when necessary. The dragon attempted to land his head on top of the boy to pin him down, but Hiccup took advantage of a raised paw to slide out of the way and through the snow to safety. "You missed!"

_::I never miss!::_ Toothless took exception to this and launched himself at Hiccup, only to have the boy slip on the snow and under the dragon as it leaped over him. Hiccup bounded back up, only to have the dragon's tail move through the snow with the speed of an arrow and trip him up again, sending him right back into the powder. Toothless leaped on top of him again and caught the boy beneath his weight, landing on him with a thud.

"Ooohhhh….alright bud you got me."

_::Of course I did, you were clearly too tired from all that work. You should rest now.::_

"No bud I'm fine, really."

_::I beg to differ. You humans cannot exert yourself too much or you may injure yourself. You are done working for the day.::_ The dragon looked down on the boy with apathy towards his complaints, eyes showing no willingness to let the human up from the stinging cold snow.

"So when I'm actually working around molten iron and am at risk of burning myself you don't care…but the _longer_ I work with said dangerous materials, _that's_ when you get concerned?"

_::Well yes, it only makes sense. I am already aware that you are going to be working with such materials for the meantime, but it is best to shorten your exposure to such things for as short a time as possible. I would not want to see you injured, nor can I imagine you preferring such a thing. Thus, it is best for you to limit the time you spend around such dangerous conditions.::_

Hiccup let out a sigh against the dragon's nose, causing the beast to contort his nostrils at the sudden burst of air. "You really _are_ too overprotective sometimes, you know that Toothless?"

_::It is only overprotective if it makes your life difficult. Is your life difficult?::_

"No…trying to breath underneath your massive head is _very_ easy."

_::See? Unless you are inconvenienced it is perfectly acceptable for me to be concerned.::_ Hiccup knew for a fact that Toothless could understand sarcasm, but sometimes also that he chose to act like he didn't in order to win an argument. Now was one of those times, and the boy knew that no matter how much of his own biting tongue he sent Toothless' way it would be ignored.

He resigned himself that the situation was what it was, and accepted that he was going to have to swap out his shirt as he felt the snow beneath him melt at he and the dragon's body heat and soaked the back of his tunic with a fresh winter chill. The beast lay on top of him a few minutes longer, intent to keep the boy trapped. Hiccup accepted this fate and closed his eyes, enjoying the strange sensations pressing against the opposite sides of his body. His back was cold from the snow, yet his chest was warm from Toothless' touch, his middle oddly comfortable as the two extremes of temperature did battle for dominance. He closed his eyes, enjoying the peculiar feeling of deathly cold and soothing warmth each vying for dominance in his core.

His eyes were opened as a few clumps of snow, heavier than the other flakes that were so lackadaisically coming down from the heavens fall upon his face, shocking him back to life as he tried to roll it off his eyes, arms being trapped beneath Toothless for the moment. He found his vision obscured by a large bob of burning crimson hair that seemed to be crawling down towards him. Such a mess of beautiful curls fell down from a face and body that seemed to disguise itself against the grey sky, vaguely distinguishable if not for the rest of the body's outline. Two penetrating, attention demanding eyes of the most brilliant violet peered down at him from beyond the peaks of her breasts, held down but not made unnoticeable by a dark blue cloak. Gods she was stunning.

"Hiccup? What has happened?"

"Oh! Right uh…Sinead…uh…no…uh this is nothing here. Just playing around with Toothless here! Could you uh…could you let me up now bud?"

_::Oh, so all of a sudden the violet eyed one wants your attention and play time is over?::_

"Yes, let me up." The dragon huffed as it leaned back onto its hind legs, allowing Hiccup to stand up and dust off the loose snow that attempted to stick to his clothing. This warranted a small giggle of amusement from Sinead, and so a smile from Hiccup. Such a beautiful laugh to complement such a beautiful voice, a beautiful body, a beautiful life. "So uh…what can I do for you?"

"Oh… just being around to see that you are doing well."

She gave another one of those sweet smiles, walking forward as her cloak wafted lightly behind her as she entered the forge. Hiccup followed, delighted at her sudden company. There was something so intoxicating about her presence, about the way she was always paying attention to _him_, always fixed on what _he_ had to say. She was always willing to smile at his jokes and sarcasm and so attentive to all his stories and thoughts. They had stayed up very late the night before just talking about life. It was a wonderful experience Hiccup could never recall having had before, to have somebody _listen_ to everything he had to say. And to top it all off, she herself was so mesmerizing in her responses, her adorable accent giving a unique twist to her rather rudimentary Norse. Her body was a glorious presence both to behold and to be near. After all, it was not every day that one was able to spend time in the company of a divinely constructed manifestation Celtic beauty.

Said Celtic beauty was holding up another of the horseshoes Hiccup had finished earlier that day, seeming to be appreciating its craftsmanship. Oh how glorious! On Berk, the most recognition he got for his work was _maybe_ a thank you before the patron walked away, grumbling that they had to accept anything from the boy that they themselves could not make. It was that sense of uniqueness, that he could do something that nobody besides he and Gobber could do which was the only satisfaction he got from his work. Now somebody was actually looking at it! Somebody was taking the time to actually analyze what he had done and to give it some thought. All his hard work was being appreciated at long last. Joy!

"You make this? It is very nice, should go on horse well and hold up long time."

"Yeah well…you know…" Hiccup meandered into the workspace, hands slightly trembling and brimming with pride. "Just…years of practice is all. Not much work at all, really."

"Oh no! This is _very_ good; you must be very respected for skills back in Hebrides." Sinead's innocent suggestions and curiosity at his life was insatiably satisfying, even if her conceptions of what his life had been were tainted by a falsehood in order to save his skin. He tried to keep up a smile, even though the very edges of his mouth curved down to indicate unpleasant memories.

"Well…I mean as respected as a blacksmith can be I guess."

"Mmh…must be a difficult job, require lot of muscle and strength yes?"

"Oh yeah….I'm the _peak_ of physical condition." Sinead laughed again at Hiccup's sarcasm, even if he held out a hope that she would say some soothing words about how he appeared strong to her. She had given a few compliments last night on how his hair looked so nice and how he spoke so eloquently, and those brief words of kindness were like to an addict his substance, an indescribable consolation to a soul so deprived of laudation or accolade. Instead, all this well of nicety and pleasant conversation did was put down the horseshoe and look out towards the village around them, quiet amidst the light snowfall. Toothless watched the two with apathy, unconcerned with his rider's interest in the Gael- such things the creature considered beneath himself.

"I love the snow. Beautiful isn't it?"

"Mmhh…I guess. I mean winters back in the Hebrides are a bit more brutal than this. But I guess when you can appreciate it without thinking about survival…yeah it's pretty nice." He kept his ground behind her, uncertain on what he should be doing. Should he get back to work? Would that be seen as rude? Would she stop talking to him and giggling at his humor if he seemed disinterested? Would she go away? He did not want her to go away, her company made his heart race with what he could only assume to be joy.

"I love winter. In summer the sun is very strong, burns me. I have to stay inside for much of the day, and when I can finally come out at night there is nothing to do. Winter means I can spend much of day outside and not get burned, I like that." She sighed; thin trails of vapor rising from her lips in a single cloud that clearly did not want to part from her majestic body. "I've had to stay inside so much of my life; it is hard to know the village when you can talk to them for such little time."

"…yeah. That's got to be…that's got to be rough." If it were not for his ruse about his history, Hiccup would have poured out his heart over his own wretched upbringing. He would love to share the agony of his soul with this girl who seemed to understand him so perfectly, who was now pouring her own heart out to him.

"Yes. I do love my people, but I also like to think about if my life were not spent so much indoors. Winter gives me chance to see that, but when it snows everybody stay inside. I wish I not burn so easily. Wish that I could go to other places where I could meet and be with other people and not burn so easily." It pained Hiccup to think of this girl as ever in woe, of her luscious white skin seething red with the agony of sunburn and those glorious violet eyes crying tears of misery and desperation.

"It is very difficult to be lonely, I wish I was not. You are lonely, yes?"

"Uh…well…I mean I've got Astrid…"

"Oh yes! She is friend to you, makes you not lonely I assume." Her assumptions were so innocent, so filled with hope for him that it would be almost painful to tell her the truth. Reality however often insists on honesty, and Hiccup's voice was often - even if against his best wishes-motivated by such an attribute.

"Well…I mean we…we haven't exactly been friends for a _long_ time…and we're not exactly _friends_ like you'd think."

Sinead's brow, as red as her hair perked up, creating small wrinkles at the edges of her pale face. "What you mean not exactly friends?

He _really_ wished he knew what to do with his hands, as every movement he started to make with them seemed to be awkward and confused, as if he was constantly forgetting what his hands were for. "Uh…well…"

"When I find you yesterday you were both asleep underneath dragon. You say at dinner that you huddle together to stay warm. You like each other yes?" A few scarlet locks drifted over her eyes as she tilted her head in confusion. Her questions were undeniably valid in what they concerned, they demanded responses that he had not wanted to consider in his few weeks alone with Astrid. "Well…yes I like her a lot."

"But she likes you as well yes? Little reason in flying so far with someone you do not like is there? Seems pointless. If you travel with someone, you should at least _like_ this person yes?" Why did she have to be so observant? Why couldn't she just let him wallow in the confusing and awkward relationship he already had with Astrid?

"Um…well not _exactly_…"

"So…so she does not like you…but you like her? How does this work?"

"Well…I mean it doesn't exactly _work_ BUT… but we get along…_most _of the time."

"Oh! So you get along, even if you don't like each other. This makes sense then, I think so. Yes, makes sense."

"No! it's not that _we_ don't like each other…it's that…she uh…well she and I aren't well…you know…any more than _friends_, you know?" Hiccup tried to shy away from Sinead's attention, mind drifting onto the circumstances of his relationship to Astrid. He hadn't wanted to think about it for the past few weeks, only to let whatever happened happen. Now Sinead's inquisition had opened the doors to a new evaluation of the paradigm that was his enigmatic relationship to his half willing prisoner. He wasn't lying if he said that thinking about such things made him uneasy, especially with those amaranthine eyes keeping a constant watch on him.

"Oooohhh. So you like her but she not like you. You just work together-mapping world. This is all then?"

Sinead's fact was hurtful in how it true it appeared. It had just been two nights ago that Astrid had nearly frozen to death, so reluctant she was to find comfort in his embrace even if in the name of survival. He had a vague memory of the short second that he had been awake as Toothless was leaping out of the stall that morning. He could remember that she was close to him, that his arm had been around her abdomen. He must have sought her out in the darkness for comfort and held her through the night, most definitely something she would have slugged him for had he not removed his arm in that split second of consciousness before they were both scattered about as Toothless' sanctuary abandoned them. Had she known, he never would have heard the end of it. It was a depressing reality that his mind imposed upon him, but one still consistent with his past. Eight years and a few kidnapped weeks, and nothing with Astrid had changed for the better.

"Yeah. It's not that bad though. Just…that's how we Vikings operate you know?" He puffed up his chest, trying to live up to the name he ascribed to even if nothing about him actually fit the description. Even if his view of what his relationship to the special girl in his life was beginning to crumble around him, he needed to look confident, respectable and distinguished. He went to lean against a shelf, hoping that the demeanor affiliated with such a stance would give him an air of credibility.

Instead, he overreached and placed his force into a cup of nails, knocking them onto the floor as he nearly collapsed onto them himself, catching his body on the shelf he had originally been going for with a thud that reverberated through his entire skelton. Sinead let out a gasp of surprise only for that brief second when she thought he was going to fall on the spikes, before breaking out into another of her giggles that made Hiccup forget about the entire ordeal immediately. Her very voice was able to relieve his stress, to soothe his worries even when injury had seemed so immediate.

"Shit! Sorry! I'll…I'll uh…yeah I'll clean that up right now." He quickly set about the work, trying to avert is gaze in embarrassment as he so typically did. Yet when he managed to give a brief upward glance at her, standing only a few feet away and looking down on him, he only found a face of innocent, non judgmental amusement. "Sorry…"

"It is alright, accidents happen."

"Yeah…sorry."

"Why you keep saying you are sorry? It is accident. It is no big deal." She leaned her head to the side, seemingly perplexed as to why the boy was so apologetic. Hiccup could only keep his head down and scramble to collect the nails, cheeks burning from the heat of the still going forge fire and from his own confused embarrassment. This girl seemed not to care about his failing, she was even smiling at him as he fumbled with the nails, occasionally sticking himself with the ends of a few as he finally gathered them all up and placed the cup back on the shelf, rubbing out the pain in his hands against his thighs while he managed a weak smile at Sinead. How could one _not_ smile in her presence? Her hair was like a burning fire against her winter colored skin, warming and inviting and an indescribable contrast to the layer of white, as cardinal feathers against ice strewn branches in this bleak and dreary time.

"Right…yeah. No big deal. Hehe…yeah" He wanted to knock over another cup of nails. Seriously, what the Hel was he supposed to do with his hands!? Sinead seemed uninterested in his nervous demeanor, and walked forward, feet making so little sound on the ground that it seemed she levitated towards him, a majestic spirit interested only in him and him alone.

"Like I say before, I only stop by to make sure you are doing well. I need to be going; father wanted me to be sewing today. I see you later yes?" Her question was signed with hopeful aspirations, as if the only thing that mattered in the world to her was that they would see each other. It melted whatever cold was latent and holding onto Hiccup's extremities, dispersing it in fear of her seemingly divine presence.

"Uh…yeah…Maybe…maybe at dinner maybe?"

"Yes! Sounds very good! Bye!"

Hiccup could not have fathomed the brief action that had happened after that last word. Sinead was suddenly within an inch of his face, her pure skin and violet eyes never more close to him. At this distance they seemed to lush, so vibrant, full of unending sympathy and consideration for his every need. He could smell her breath, small notes of what he recognized as spearmint gently filling his nose and tingling his sinus. And then it happened.

Two lips, the only colored part of her skin that he could see brushed with his own, pushing his lower lip down as the two thin slivers of flesh commanded his own touch. Blood was surging up and down every vessel in his body, his mind confused at how to react to this. He was being kissed, this was good. This girl was not Astrid, this was…bad? Should he embrace it? Should he push her away? It was a feeling he was not prepared for, yet at the same time it felt so good! So natural, so filled with a desire that he had always given off but had never received in return. This confusing sensation ended as her lips closed against his teeth, clenched tightly shut out of pure shock at what was happening. She backed away, nothing but a smile upon her face and an alluring presence in her eyes, beckoning him to more of that amethyst paradise.

"I see you later. Bye!" She walked out quickly, her skin seeming to meld into the snow as flakes continued to slowly fall upon her cloak. Hiccup leaned back against the forge wall, breathing a little more excitedly than usual.

Did that really just happen? Did she really just _kiss_ him? Well, her lips had touched his own; he felt her mint scented saliva on the insides of his mouth (which tasted rather good if he could admit such a thing). But _why?_ Sure they had been getting along very well…but _that_? He couldn't deny that it had felt amazing, that it was everything that he had imagined kissing Astrid would be like…yet Sinead was _not_ Astrid.

At the same time, Sinead was so much more. Unimpeded beauty, seemingly divine in construction. A peaceful personality, always so sweet and charming and welcoming to him, unafraid and without concern for any past misgivings. She was want, she was desire, and she was all that he had hoped could come from Astrid…but now present in the form of someone who actually appeared to want him in return. Was this wrong for him to embrace? He had for all his life held the one great beauty of his island in the highest regard, had given Astrid all his respect and praise and admiration even when she clearly had not wanted it. Now though, there was a girl who was returning on an investment he had never even given.

He could not deny that it felt great to be desired, to be deemed worthy of such affection even after a very limited time. Could this be a gateway to more? Was this only a signal that she desired him not only for his skills, but also for whom he was? His figure apparently meant little to her, whatever his past had been was of no consequence to this girl who almost seemed to be opening up to perform every lewd and carnal act he had ever dreamed of performing with Astrid.

All he had to do was follow the taste of her lips, follow that delicious mint that still lingered on his tongue. He could follow it; trace it down her neck to the mountains that desired to be free from beneath those annoying cloaks. Further down, to her abdomen that always gyrated at amusement and joy at their respective company. Down more still, to that glorious mystery that fascinates all young male minds, his being no exception. To join with that- an urge he felt growing awkwardly pronounced the more he thought about it-would be the culmination of all that he dreamed, but not with the person he had dreamed of. That seemed no impediment to the part of him that did not linger on the ethics of these issues, but which only grew stronger and more demanding the more he thought of stripping away all those cloaks and tunics, of returning his affection to this Gael over and over again in every possible way that the limits of human anatomy could offer them. Beneath those thick layers of fabric was a body that seemed to yearn for him, that wanted him to want it back. Those amethyst eyes called him in deeper, to abandon futile efforts for another when the achievement was so obviously in front of him.

He clearly desired, but how he wanted to soothe that desire was now in question.

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

Horsehair was irrefutably the most uncomfortable substance known to man.

She had been awoken earlier than she would have liked by the pouts and moans of what sounded like a child, probably female though with the very young it could sometimes be hard to tell. She had soon after been forced out of the bed she'd wandered into late the previous evening by the man in black robes, whom she could barely remember talking to just a few hours before. In a mixture of Norse and Gaelic he'd insisted on both she and her clothes being washed, and returned with a large pail of freshly melted snow and a small clump of lye soap, demanding with a cautious determination that she strip down and let the "pagan rags be purified".

Father Liam was tall, rivaling even the loftiest of Vikings as his head soared towards the ceilings. His hair was brown, short and curly, revealing just a little too much forehead. His eyes were excessively deep in their sockets and dark shadows were cast beneath them, attempting to inhibit whatever luster or sense of self worth his body might otherwise have given off. He'd at least had the decency to avert his eyes as Astrid reluctantly stripped down both layers of her clothes and handed them to the black clad figure, who gave her only a horsehair shirt to keep her modesty in the meantime. It only just reached her knees and itched ferociously, but the moment Astrid had threatened to remove it and go around naked she had seemed to elicit such a fearful and enraged reaction from Liam that she opted to keep it for the meantime. No point in upsetting this man who had taken her in because of something as simple as a shirt. Besides, as he'd taken her clothes away he had yelped at accidently stabbing himself on one of the spikes on her skirt, a humorous enough sight to liven the mood.

Her bath was the first one since the kidnapping, for which she was rather grateful. She hadn't wanted to bring the situation up to Hiccup, it being both rather uncomfortable and unnecessary. Being so consistently out in the elements while on the cusp of winter made the concept of stripping down and dousing herself in water exceptionally uncomfortable. Now though, with the scent of lye on her skin and her hair now temporarily devoid of oil, she for the first time in weeks felt rather normal. It was truly remarkable what a little soap and water could do for one's spirits.

In loneliness she had gotten about to examining the building which hosted her. It was dominated by a single hall, split down a wide isle with uncomfortable wooden benches lining each side. At the front of this hall was a slightly elevated platform, on which three thick pieces of pink marble were arranged into an altar draped with gilded white linen.

The opposing walls parallel to these benches were the main point of interest for Astrid, as through their own coloration they seemed to turn the building into a cornucopia of rich color, adorning the otherwise dull, wooden interior with faint tones of rose and yellow, light and fanciful colors that complimented the darker yet no less illustrious shades of sea blue and red. Equally persistent was an emerald green that certain windows were adorned with, which filtered the sun outside into a verdant hue that shone as richly as the most luscious spring grass, harkening to when this country knew better seasons.

At the back of the hall and on its left side was the small chamber where Astrid had awoken, stuffed with a small bed and nightstand and another one of these crosses that seemed to be an especially prevalent symbol in this building. Its entire layout struck Astrid as rather odd. Such a chamber was only given privacy by a large brown drape, which contrasted the rest of the hall in its rather bland color and placement. It certainly was not a house in the normal sense; as such a large hall would have no purpose in such a place. She could only surmise that it must have been a meeting hall of some kind, hence the large number of benches. She wondered where this "Father" person slept, and what had been the cause of her abrupt awakening.

Behind where she stood-in the middle of the hall, still admiring the beautiful windows-was a double sided door, flanked by two windows tinted with a light rose. There was a large basin, lined with gold but mostly constructed of silver and was filled with water. Having yet to have any sort of breakfast, Astrid decided for a drink, deciding it best not to question why there was such a large basin of water positioned at the door. Was it for people to wash their hands as they entered? Wasn't so many people using the same small wash basin rather unsanitary? On second thought then, perhaps best not to drink it…much.

A few handfuls relieved her immediate thirst, and the water did in fact taste rather nice and fresh, probably also made from the great deal of snow still outside. Her desire quenched, she considered what to do now. She'd paced up and down the main hall for half an hour after her bath, waiting for Liam to return from wherever he had disappeared to. Now though, the thought of much more movement in this abrasive fabric seemed borderline masochistic. So long as she remained still or only moved briefly, she could be comfortable. Anything more would only mean pain.

She resolved to sit on one of the benches at the back of the hall, to enjoy the serenity of the quiet, the sense of awe begotten from the high ceilings, and let the tapestries of painted light wash her over once more. For a brief moment- as they are often among the most enjoyable in human life-she found a great peace, surrounded only by a building yet feeling a presence so much more than that, as though her entire pantheon were walking in her presence at once. It had been a long time since she had felt this attuned to the will of the gods, so perhaps then this building was good for something after all.

Her serenity was broken by the sounds of four feet belonging to two different people. One set was deep and with purpose, belonging to a man. The other was light and soft, seeming not to make much of an impression on the wooden planks that constituted the floor of the church. From the left of the platform bearing the altar Father Liam returned, holding the hand of a young girl.

Astrid-disturbed from her brief peace- got up slowly, mindful of the coarse hair scraping against her nipples and causing them to burn with pain. The child could have been no more than half a decade old, and wore only a tunic of light blue seemingly stolen from the summer skies. Her hair, skin and eyes were all of a remarkably similar quality to Astrid's, cobalt eyes stuck towards the floor and averting their gaze from both older people, her golden hair was wrapped two smalls braids that came down from an even part in her hair and passed behind her ears, reminding Astrid of when she had worn her hair in such a style at about the same age.

"So Father Liam, this is your child then?" Astrid had thought the remark clever, though it only seemed to bring out an uncomfortable expression from the man, a combination of shock at the allegation yet an understanding as to why it had occurred.

"No. This here is Ashling. Ashling…Ashling…_Féach__ar dom__leanbh_." Liam stooped down towards the girl, who was trying to shy away from the visions of both other persons. Her childish timidity was adorable to Astrid, having so rarely been around the younger generation of Berk. Liam took her chin and directed the girl's attention towards him, demanding she give him authority but showing a sweet and calm restraint. "Ashling…_Is é seo__Astrid__. __Beidh sí__a bheith__atá ag fanacht__linn__ar feadh tamaill__beag__, maith go leor?__"_

_"…__maith go leo__r."_ Her voice was as soft and scared as one would expect from a child of such a young age and timid demeanor. She firmly clutched onto a doll, a rather plain human figure of simple cloth construction and indeterminate gender, wearing only the most basic and neutral of clothing including a pair of plaid pants and green cloak, yet with a poorly defined face. Astrid knew she was over thinking this and that such issues would little concern the typical young girl, so she ignored such thoughts and approached slowly, lowering herself to the ground and to the girl's two and half foot height as she approached.

"Hi Ashling…I…Astrid…" She pointed to herself, putting on a smile and hoping to wear it well. All the girl did was shy away, tucking her face into the robes around Father Liam's leg and drawing a chuckle from the man, whose voice balanced on the line between baritone and tenor and was thick with the Gaelic accent, although his Norse was rather respectable in its development.

"Ha…she's a bit of a shy one she is. To answer your question…my _pagan_ friend…she is not of my seed, rather only under my care. Plague took her parents last year…along with a good quarter of the village, left a lot of empty pews the devil's work did. She was the only girl among the orphans, the rest were boys of an age where they could be sent to a monastery. I took her in, the poor lass." Liam looked down on the girl, head still tucked into his leg and clutching at the darkness of his robe, as if seeking entry into a black abyss where nothing could touch her. He brought down his left hand and rubbed it slowly over her hair, swinging the small braids on either side with the gentle touch.

"I had the room you slept in adjusted just for her, as it used to be my old quarters. Since the chief was always looking for a place to station travelers he figured the church was the best place for it…and of course I knew the moment you and that boy showed up the chief would be asking for shelter… so I moved her into my chamber last night. Had some trouble when it came to wash her this morning-hence the complaining that I assume must have woken you-but that's all settled now. Mmh? Ashling?" The girl only moaned, the sound muffled against the Father's robes.

"Haha…oh yes we do have to work on that attitude there lass, not that you can understand what I'm saying now anyways…such are the advantages of two tongues are they not Astrid?"

"Mmh…sure." She tried to get the girl's attention, even if the child still seemed so resolute to shut her out. A pity, she could use someone to talk to, especially if they couldn't talk back.

"Well…your clothes should be dry by noon. I'll come get you when they are ready. In the meantime…" He escaped from Ashling's grasp, prompting a whine from the girl as she tried to catch up to him and flee from Astrid's gaze. Was she really so intimidating? She thought her cheeks would break if she smiled any harder.

_"Uimh Ashling! __Tá mé__faoistiní__a chloisteáil__. __Beidh tú__ag fanacht__anseo le__Astrid__, __ní__bheidh sí__Gortaítear tú__. __Beidh mé__ar ais le haghaidh__leat níos déanaí__. __Ceart go leor__?__"_ He held on to that delicate balance of force and tenderness that typifies those best adept at handling children. Even if he wasn't this girl's actual father-which Astrid thought made his still made his title rather strange-she was convinced that he would make a fine one, provided nothing about his life interfered with such a thing. "I leave her in your hands for the time being as I have work to do. You will watch her yes?"

"Of course, kind of always wanted a little sister myself."

"Ha…perfect. I will return soon with clothes and some lunch …Oh! Yes before I forget please make sure she doesn't drink from the basin in the back. Holy water is only for use in blessings, not to drink. Girl still doesn't seem to grasp that…anyway you two have fun now." Father Liam was soon to disappear behind the door he had walked in, leaving the two girls a decade apart in age by themselves in the multicolored chamber. Ashling held firm to her doll, clutching it close to her chest. Astrid squatted down again, trying to look as peaceful and benign as she could.

"Hello Ashling…can you say Astrid? That's _me_…_Ast…rid…_eh?" Ashling was quiet enough to appear dead, yet displaying such a degree of nervousness that she appeared very much alive and filled with fright. "It's okay…I'm friendly…you can trust me…" Astrid knew that this girl was probably not going to open up to her immediately, and that time would have to be her ally in making any kind of progress with her. Still, it was worth an attempt to break the ice quickly now than to waste time in letting it thaw.

"That's a nice doll you have there. May I see it?" She reached forward a hand slowly, trying to show that she had the most benevolent of intentions. The girl instead pushed the doll further into her chest, forgoing her previously shy demeanor for a defensive pout. "_Uimh__!__Mo theachsa!"_ She pulled away abruptly, suddenly determined to defend that which was hers until the bitter end. "_Mo theachsa!"_

"Ashling…I just want to see it…"

"_Mo theachsa!"_

"Ashling…"

"_Mo theachsa!"_ Her feet pattered away as they took the girl to the front of the church, sitting at the most forward bench and laying the doll in her lap, adjusting its arms and playing with it idly, seeking to banish Astrid from her presence. Accepting that she was shut out from this girl's company for the meantime, Astrid decided to endure another painful walk to the back of the church, holding her breasts firm against the horsehair to stop them from wearing her most sensitive skin down worse than it already had. She took another sip from the water basin-convenient if rather unnecessary-and took to staring out one of the rose tinted windows into the village, where a small flurry of snow fell to give a serene atmosphere to the still sight before her.

Through the shower of snowflakes she could see the forge, placed on the other side of the village center which spread out in a circular fashion around a large stone block at its center, presumably used for village wide addresses. In the orange glow of the flame she could see only Sinead, draped in a dark blue cloak who was staring down at something. Hiccup rose up from behind the stall, placing a cup of something on a shelf. She figured the klutz must have knocked them over, she'd seen him do similar things when she visited the forge back on Berk.

Sinead was only giggling; giving him another of those infuriatingly sweet smiles she seemed to love using around the boy. Hiccup was rubbing the back of his head, which she knew meant he was nervous. She'd come to know a lot of his gestures after spending the last few weeks in company with him. Hand behind head-nervousness. Hands on legs-shyness. Knocking knees together-anxious. All so similar in the emotion they conveyed, but unique in how they were articulated.

Still, he was smiling as he talked to her, so nervous yet so comfortable looking when in her presence. She was having some kind of an effect on him, that much was certain. It wasn't magic-Astrid was not one to believe in such things no matter what the village elders said-but something more basic, more common yet infinitely more complex than spells or incantations. Hiccup was clearly enjoying whatever Sinead was doing to him, so it was nothing against his will. It was common, human, and intrinsic to all people yet only exhibited by some, a fascination unexplainable to all others but the self.

Sinead walked towards him, hair waving gently at the back of her head, the burning crimson distinguishable even through the pink filter through which Astrid looked. She had gotten close to Hiccup- _very_ close. Was there any need for her to be so near to him? What could she-

She _did not_ just do that.

Astrid had to move away from the window and shut her eyes for a moment to comprehend what she had just witnessed. As she took her position again to look through the rose filter, Sinead had walked out of the stall, leaving Hiccup leaning against the wall and breathing heavily. The image was still lingering in Astrid's mind, of the Gael's lips closing in on his like a predator does lame prey, of the determination with which her cheeks had puffed as she sunk the kiss in as deep as it would go. Hiccup had apparently not given himself fully to the gesture, but Astrid decided this must have been more so out of shock than lack of desire.

She'd heard stories about how the more Southerly peoples used kissing as a gesture of respect, but this seemed to be much more than such an act. She'd given her all into that, and Hiccup seemed to have enjoyed it, if that stupid grin now spreading across his face was any indication. This girl had the nerve-the _audacity_-to dare try such a thing on him?

More so, _he_ had the nerve not to push her away when he had the chance! He'd embraced it; let it go on without a single protest. He was probably giddy on all the attention he had received from this girl last night, and now the Gael was willing to up the stakes. What did she want? Were all Irish this welcoming to people, was she maybe overreacting?

After all, why should she care? If Hiccup had an infatuation with this girl, why should she stop it? She had been his object of worship and fascination for the past eight years, should she not finally want a break from such conditions? For the first time in nearly a decade she was no longer what he seemed to desire, she had been beaten, surpassed by Sinead.

She'd been _replaced._

It filled her with a jealous rage that struck her as new and unpleasant. She could feel her fist clenching, her nails beginning to pain her as they stuck into her palm. _He_ worshipped _her_. This was how it had _always_ been. For so long she had remained defiant, aloof from his desires and defensive towards his advances. Slowly though, things were changing. She had accepted that this was no longer Berk, that her life was not what it had once been. She had come to enjoy being with Hiccup the further from Berk they flew. The more they traveled, explored and shared time _together._ She had only just begun to appreciate the proximity of his body, only just started to contemplate his worth not only as transportation but as a person, as another human being with whom she would be friends as they traversed the world.

At least they would be if Sinead were not around. This girl had no right to interfere with this delicate and slowly budding friendship, and most of all had no authority to compel Hiccup to things that she knew he dreamed of doing only to her. However uncomfortable these thoughts made her, those were thoughts that should be reserved _for her_, and her alone. _She_ was the one that he was supposed to desire, not some pretty Irish girl who was catering to his every whim and plea. Whatever Sinead had done to him, whether it was her smile or her accent or those freaky violet eyes, it had to stop. Astrid may have belonged to Hiccup, but no matter when or where Hiccup _belonged_ to her. He was still the boy who had watched her from the forge window, and the girl in the church window was going to make sure that he remained as such.


	8. Divine Beauty and God's Grace

Winter is seldom merciful to those who fly. Toothless however cared little for whether or not the cold was trying to keep humans inside and away from the elements and had been quite demanding of Hiccup that they go flying after two grounded days. After quickly sewing some of the smaller furs from his new bed together, Hiccup had conceded to the dragon's demands and found that the makeshift shield of pelts wrapped tightly around his body was strong enough to keep out the cold for now.

It had been two days since Hiccup had first felt Sinead's lips against his own, and he was no more certain of his life now as he had been then. It had happened four more times since, at dinner that night, twice more the following day, and so far once today. Each time his mental protests grew weaker, his anticipation stronger and his satisfaction increasing with every subtle touch of her pure, delicious skin. By the fifth kiss, he was feeling his heart race with joy as she closed in to his face. His eyes would droop as he allowed her near his lips, willingly parting them and giving her the allowance to pleasure him in such a way. Every encounter she would go deeper, get closer and leave him even more excited. On kiss three he had separated his jaw and allowed her past the barrier of his teeth, softening the kiss and allowing it to be more natural- more sensational- as her tongue had tentatively reached over the bridge of their sets of lips and strafe across his lower one, a feeling he could not compare anything in his life to.

His sleep last night had left him the most perturbed even if it had been the most pleasurable dream he'd had for a week. It had started like so many others with Astrid, waltzing into the forge back on Berk, the smell of her post training sweat mingling with the forge's persistent aroma of burning iron. She was complaining of soreness, and of admitting to a want that Hiccup knew that only he alone felt. But as she approached, her face growing soft and eyes wanting, it had all changed. Her hair had begun to curl and change from gold as great as the sun to as crimson as the most brilliant of funeral pyres. Her skin had grown paler, as pure and devoid of color as the winter sky. Her eyes, once sparkling with the cobalt of the untainted Northern waters lightened and changed, becoming that mesmerizing shade of purple that never ceased to amaze him. Even her smell, of the primitive and earthy variety that would come of a girl returning from a long session of practice had morphed into the admittedly more delicate and soothing aroma of spearmint. This new presence in his mind had closed in on him with vigor, pushing him into the backroom of the forge and stripping away her cloak, eager to get her hands on every part of his body that was as eager for her in the waking world as it was in the realm of dreams

By the time he'd awoken, the fantasy was concluded as it usually did, only with a red haired Gael panting heavily with satisfaction as opposed to the blonde who would usually have been in such a position. He'd felt guilty about it at first, and had almost been tempted to push Sinead away when she visited the forge again that day to give him another of these increasingly frequent blessings. But as she'd closed in, he felt that he didn't have it within himself to reject her, and instead gave into her affections once more.

He had seen little of Astrid the past two days. He'd been busier in the forge than he would have liked, as the Irish proved remarkably adept at breaking things for him to fix. What little free time he had, he found better given to Sinead's company, to embrace her closeness and all her attention and care. It was intoxicating, the laudation and respect he received from this girl, the fact that she found him attractive and respectable enough to kiss was blinding to all else. Whenever she was around, all he could care about was getting her to smile and seeing the light in her amethyst eyes brighten to a dazzling shimmer. Whenever he considered how to talk to her about this new development, his thoughts always turned to how pleasant this new development was, and before long he was lost in a mental encounter with Sinead that left him only wanting more. He needed more of her. He needed _all_ of her. She certainly seemed to be offering it, as during the last kiss -longer than all others- he'd felt her start to slowly roll her hips against his. Only actually stripping down in front of him would have been more obvious a sign.

The wind picked up slowly against him and Toothless as they lazily soared amid the cloudless day. The sun gave both some degree of extra warmth even if it was fairly weak compared to what it could have been in the summer months. The black phantom against the pale blue sky shifted left, soaring above snow covered forests that struck ever skyward like a legion of hoplites clad in ice.

_::You are troubled.::_

"Uh? What? Oh…nothing you'd be concerned with bud."

_::…It is the fact that the fire haired one wishes to mate with you is it not?::_

Hiccup wanted to dive out of the saddle to certain death below at that instant. Introspecting on these difficult issues was laborious enough. Talking them over with a reptile that seemed to show no real concern for such matters was akin to torture. "N-N-"

_::Yes it is. You cannot lie to me when I already know the truth of your emotions…as foolish and weak as they are.::_

"Excuse me?"

_::Ever since we met it has not stopped. Your various woes on gaining the affections of one girl are almost comical. You are perhaps the only creature-no, perhaps the only of your entire species willing to put up with so much abuse and yet still see some prospect of mating with the same individual. You even bring her along with us in the hopes-no matter how much you deny them-that such an action will occur. Whereas I live by reason and logic, you live by emotions. This is the weakness of your species, always has been.::_

"I'm sorry! Is a _dragon_\- an actual _animal_\- lecturing _me_ on baser instincts getting in the way of life?"

_::Can you argue differently?::_

"Uh! I-I….well…I…well…"

_::So I thought.::_

And so it went, the dragon using insurmountable logic to usurp Hiccup's arguments. Even if that skirmish had been won, the boy was not about to let that be the end of it. He still had an issue to resolve, and he needed his best-tentatively only-friend to help with it. "Okay yes maybe I am thinking about Sinead-"

_::Then why do you not do something about it?::_

"Like what?"

_::Astrid was right, you are quite dense at times. Sinead is clearly offering herself to you as mating material, why do you not then take advantage of such an offer? I am knowledgeable that you desire to mate with Astrid, but being as it is that she continues to refuse you why should you not then accept the offering being given to you in order to satisfy that which you desire? This is reasonable yes?::_

The breath from Hiccup's sigh quickly collected into a vapor that dissipated just as rapidly into the surrounding air as they banked right to catch the new wind, passing over a wide expanse of marshland where the winter snow was showing just the slightest signs of melting at the day's above freezing temperatures. Why did logic have to be so damn _logical_?

"Well…well…well because I always thought Astrid would be my…you know…_one and only?_ Using Sinead that's just...I'd be betraying myself and Astrid."

_::How would you be betraying Astrid? She does not have the same desire you have for her, so then how could you be betraying someone who does not even know they are being betrayed? This does not make sense.::_

"Okay…look…it's like this. I…_love _Astrid-"

_::Yet she does not love you…::_

"Hey! Okay yeah well maybe she doesn't _love_ me but…well we've lasted this long haven't we? There could be _something_ there…maybe…"

Hiccup could just barely see Toothless' eyes roll back and just barely face him, straining the optical muscles but making their point of derision made. _::But has she not stayed with us only because you and her have an agreement as to when she is free to go? Were this agreement nonexistent, do you REALLY think she would continue to be with us?::_

"Uh…"

_::My point exactly. You must not let your delusions get in the way of what is practical.::_

"…I know I'm going to hate the answer but I have to ask…what is 'practical' according to you?"

_::Simple. Abandon that which denies you, embrace that which embraces you. This WOULD make you happier would it not? To feel this thing called LOVE that you seem to go on incessantly about?::_

"You're really going to lecture me on something you've actually called and I _quote_ "a foolish feeling for foolish creatures"? You? What gives you the authority to talk to me about this? Why the Hel am I even carrying on this conversation?"

_::Because you have nobody else to do it with?::_

"…fair point. I guess-Hey! You mean abandon Astrid? Oh so because she makes you sore you want me to hurt her feelings and leave her?! Oh I see how it is now! You want me to hurt Astrid's feelings all because you've never seen a point to having her around! You-"

_::To hurt ones feelings would mean having them in the first place yes? If she has no feelings for you as you describe… how could such things then be broken? If she continues on with us…which mind you I AM beginning to adapt to her weight…why should she at all care about how you express your feelings towards others?::_

"Because…because…"

Hiccup could feel the dragon's shoulders relaxing beneath him with a passive frustration. Even if he felt his argument was going nowhere, there was still a part of him that wished to keep trying to prove a fruitless point. The dream of a future with Astrid was still burning, but growing dimmer amidst winter winds and Irish lips.

"…well okay yes _maybe_ that makes sense…but if I…if I do…_give myself_ to Sinead…wouldn't that make my aspirations with Astrid all the more strained? I mean she would _definitely_ hold it against me if I did what I wanted to do with Sinead. Did you ever think of that? Mmh?" Hiccup believed he had an advantage. Even Toothless' logical way of seeing the world could be overtaken by emotional appeals from time to time.

_::Why should she hold it against you? You would only do what you do because she is unavailable, which she herself is aware of. How could she possibly be upset at you for doing something that she herself was not willing to partake in?:: _

"Well…"

_::Whatever argument you make is simply going to keep coming back to this point. She is unavailable to satisfy your emotional needs, whereas Sinead is. If you desire to have your needs fulfilled, it makes sense to attempt to fulfill such needs using the resources that are directly available as opposed to those that are far more difficult to obtain. This is the current situation. Whatever other aspirations you have are contrary to reality, and such a thing is illogical.::_

Hiccup leaned forward close to Toothless' head, the winds blowing fiercely against him as he again adjusted the tailfin to accommodate a change in current. There had been a thought in his mind at the beginning of this conversation that maybe he would have found some consolation, some guidance to deal with his difficulties. He'd gotten an answer, but not one that was helpful in the way he wanted. It was the logical response, but he didn't want it to be logical. He wanted to be told that he was being stupid, that if he just waited long enough and kept persistent Astrid would come around and Sinead would not be necessary. But it wasn't reality, wasn't what was actually happening. The cold winds were tearing down his fantasy, ripping apart the painting of life he had constructed for himself. Love and hate were in different places than he would have liked, tearing him between the admirations he was receiving in the present and the dreams he held for the future.

Darker and more primitive parts of his mind were tearing Astrid away from his pedestal of praise and adoration. All this part of him could understand was that there was woman of beauty unworthy of mortality that was blatantly offering herself to him in that most intimate way, and that it was time to stop wasting efforts on the seemingly unreachable now that the basic objective was in sight. After all, had the object so long held as the desired one not beat him, tortured him, and made his life one of misery and rejection for eight hard years? Then there was Sinead, as delicate and majestic as a snowflake and with the appearance to back it up. This Irish girl had never hurt him, never shattered his dreams on a daily basis. She was an opportunity, an experience he had never experienced, the true and unimpeded love and adoration of a woman that was as strong for one party as it was for the other. In only a few days he had received more open affection from Sinead than he had Astrid in almost a decade. That one, innocent _Jul_ kiss at eight years old, a delicate memory he thought would hold him over till the day he died was being crushed under the sensation of Sinead's lips, the feel of her hands all over him, by his desire to see her eyes as vibrant as possible as they pleasured each other in ways innumerable. Love was replacing dreams of love, hate replacing desire and desire striving to be released.

"…what am I going to do Toothless?"

_::…And the saga continues…::_

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

By being freezing instead of deathly cold, it was slightly warmer today than it had been yesterday. The slight change in weather was welcome to Astrid, who took in a deep breath of the chilling air as she meandered around the village. The few Irish that were out this day preferred keeping to themselves, either frightened or disinterested in her. She could understand where Ashling got such a trait from, it seemed endemic to the people. The little girl was no more open to her now than she had been two days ago, still avoiding her fervently and clutching tightly to her doll, shouting "_Mo theachsa!"_ every time Astrid tried to get close to her. Little brat didn't know when to share.

Her clothes felt better after having been washed. Father Liam had gone on for hours about "purification" and other rites and rituals that Astrid could only surmise had something to do with the local religion. Most aspects of it interested her little, although she was still continuously impressed with the architecture and layout of the building that housed her, even if it was a bit drafty like most such buildings.

Her armored skirt was still worn with pride, and remembering Father Liam going on about the amount of times he had pricked himself on such a contraption brought a smile to Astrid's face. Beneath this were worn a pair of brown trousers, of a rather irritable construction but of considerable warmth. They were, much like the dark green shirt that was wrapped over her light blue tunic originally Hiccup's, his _spare_ _set_ as he had labeled it when giving them to her just before they had started flying into the storm that had brought them down in this village. Even if Liam could brag incessantly on how he was a master of sanitation and cleanliness, he had failed to vanquish Hiccup's scent from the garment. Diminished perhaps, but not removed.

It was an aroma of the Earth, of iron and fire and wood, mixed with what Astrid uncomfortably noticed to be the aroma of Toothless' saliva. They'd certainly done a lot of playing around in those few weeks of secrecy, she could surmise that much. Despite this though, it was Hiccup's scent that she was most attuned to, that natural smell of a boy on the cusp of manhood which seemed to rise off the collar if only for the purpose of her knowing it was there. It was a scent of warmth, of vibrant life and the natural world, through which waves of Hiccup's own odor-a soft yet _just_ pungent musk-rolled through with ease, permeating the garment and signifying that it had been his at one point. It was yet another part of him keeping her warm against the winter chill. In this strange world of shy Gael's it was a welcome familiarity.

She drifted through the snow, by this point hardening into a dense pack that one could walk on without _too much_ risk of falling through, although a few sudden collapses and wet spots running all the way past her knee were proof that the pack still needed another day at least. At looking up into the clear, pale blue sky she could see a dark silhouette circling around the village, seeming to draw closer every couple of seconds. Hiccup hadn't even bothered to invite her along for the first flight in two days, to which she took some offense. He better not have invited Sinead up there. The pleasure of flying was supposed to be reserved for Astrid and her alone; the thrill of diving through clouds while Toothless groaned about sudden changes in weight was an experience that only Astrid deserved, not this Irish interloper.

She'd seen them kiss once more since that first witness in the pink filter of the church, but she knew that it had probably happened more than those two occasions, only infuriating her more. There had been times when she'd wanted to see Hiccup, to maybe revert to her old habit of punching him a little before going into an interrogation of what had gotten into him, of why he was all of a sudden ignoring her for the sake of Irish affection. But every time she saw him, he was within Irish arms and protected by virtue of station. She couldn't just meander over to him and starting tearing him apart for his actions, at least not with the main point of her anger within earshot.

One wrong move and Astrid suspected that Sinead would find some way to sic her father on the Viking girl, one could after all never be too careful when dealing with the daughters of authority figures. Astrid had seen such antics going on with the bridal age girls of the village when she had been much younger, and the ferocity and treachery they had employed against each other to match with the right suitors had stuck with Astrid since. Her father had made it a point to remind her of these girls constantly, drilling Astrid with how such women were of an inferior breed to her, of how whereas they concerned themselves with being lazy and protected, Astrid was going to be proactive and above such petty issues. She was glad such a thing had been drilled into her from an early age, for she knew dealing with this Irish bride to be was going to be a tricky issue.

So she had waited, biding her time these last forty eight hours as she watched Hiccup fall further and further into the majestic trance that was Sinead. The girl was always by his side, making him laugh and smile and vice versa, being _overly_ friendly as far as Astrid was concerned. The kiss was only a blatant affirmation of this. The question remained though, _why?_ What did Sinead possibly get from showing such affection for Hiccup? Astrid had often used this as another justification for staying away from him back on Berk. There was simply no return on the affection, at least for her. She couldn't see what kind of reward there could have possibly been for caring about such a worthless boy.

Now though, after experiencing that fleeting sensation of care and affection from him amidst the snowstorm, with his scent rising into her face from this itchy tunic, she could see why so many of the poets of history past had gone on incessantly on the matters of love. His worship, his dedication for those eight years had gone ignored by her, and only now did she want to show that she was grateful for it. And now he was drifting away, into the clutches of a girl whose eyes were unworthy of a timed existence.

As she turned around one of the smaller huts near the village square, she found such a girl waiting near the forge, winding one of her crimson curls around her finger and looking towards the sky where the dark smudge against the azure horizon continued to close in. Despite a few falls into the pack, Astrid trudged forward to take up a spot next to her. If this girl wanted to play games, so be it.

"Astrid! Hello! I not see you in days! How are you doing?"

"Oh just fine Sinead, thank you." Astrid put on her most cheerful, delighted expression, a clear signal to most other women that there was trouble brewing beneath the surface. She stood next to Sinead, who wore the same dark blue cloak she had worn on the day of the first kiss. The two sword broaches were in a different place than usual, and were angled so that the tips of each small blade now faced each other from the opposite sides of her chest, seemingly prepared to spar. The two girls stared up into the sky in silence a moment as the feint yet always illuminating winter sun temporarily obscured their vision of the ebony smudge against the pale background that continued to approach.

"Beautiful yes?"

"Mmh?...What?"

"He is very impressive, the way he flies with so much grace."

Sinead's gaze was still fixed upon the pale sky, the curl of hair growing tight in her hand before she loosened the grip and rushed her ivory fingers up into the churning sea of crimson locks to scratch an itch.

"Oh…Toothless? Yes he's a pretty impressive creature. Bit of an ass at times…but pretty neat still."

"What? Haha. No, I mean Hiccup. Yes dragon is impressive, but Hiccup is also impressive for flying the dragon yes?"

"Oh….yes…him too…very impressive." She wanted to tear out Sinead's hair at that instant. How dare this Gael who had not even known Hiccup a week dare comment on how "impressive" he was! Astrid had sixteen years total to rely upon, had over a decade and a half to think of Hiccup and recount times when she could honestly say she was impressed with him. Granted they were few and far between and mostly involved his ability to work with metal, but they were still _something_. Hiccup hadn't done a thing for Sinead; rather she had just continued to give him laudation and kisses when he hadn't even _earned_ them. She had no right, yet the situation gave her all the authority, a strange phenomenon.

"Mmh. You enjoying time with Father Liam Astrid?"

"Oh yes, he is being very generous, very nice." This was not a lie. Despite his eccentricities Father Liam was an overall very respectable man, giving Astrid what food he could and finding chores to keep her occupied among the short days and dark nights. Granted such busy work was keeping her from confronting Hiccup about his behavior, but considering the Irishman did not know about her predicament, she could not blame him directly. But the Father could wait; Astrid remembered to focus on the other, less appealing Gael for now. She needed answers, needed reasons and motivations that would only continue to elude her without the necessary information.

"So…little more than two weeks till you're being married. Must be looking forward to that aren't you?" Astrid recalled vividly the way Sinead had briefly shown cowardice and frustration when the topic was brought up at the dinner table that first night. With this one weapon, she hoped to carve a path through the Gael's mystery and whimsy and get to the heart of what this situation was about. Much to her expectation, the amethyst dulled from the girl's eyes. Were there any color to her skin in the first place, it would have surely drained to reveal the pale coloration that so distinguished her.

"…Yes. Chief Olaf of the Coppinger clan. It is…good deal. Good deal for village…for entire clan. Yes."

"I see. Have you ever met this chief?"

Sinead's head started to drift downwards, her face trying to hide behind a curtain of scarlet hair. "Once…when the treaty was signed."

"Well that's something at least. Do you like him?" As a scythe to wheat, Astrid cut away at the layers of joyous smiles and innocent glances to the core of this girl, where she knew the truth must lie.

"…it is for the survival of the tribe. Good deal. Many people will live."

"Mmh. Well it must be comforting to know that your father, your tribe, your friends are going to be okay because of this. You should take some pride in that at least." Astrid felt like she was when her father invited her along for the hunt. The preferred tactic was running the prey down until it simply gave up, when it welcomed death as a break from the physical punishment. Sinead was the prey, and Astrid was feeling the joys of running it down, that primitive desire to see that which is pursued writhing in discomfort and misery pulsing in her extremities and lighting her mind afire with primal ecstasy.

"…pride. Yes…" Sinead sighed, vapor quickly condensing in the air that no matter how one gauged temperature would simply register as 'cold' "Yes, much pride." The image of Toothless was quickly growing closer, the boy on top becoming visible as his shoulders and head just barely rose above the dragon's skull.

"I'm sure you'll make a wonderful wife Sinead. I'm sure any man would love to take care of you and to have you. _Anybody..._really."

"…Thank you Astrid…I am also sure that _any_ man would want me. _Anybody_." Amethyst fires began to glow anew in Sinead's eyes as she looked out from her shield of crimson hair. The prey seemed to be fighting back, striking against the hunter that was trying to force it down into submission. "After all…it is good to be wanted, by _anybody._ Means _anybody_ can want you back…especially if it is their first want after all."

Astrid would have ripped the girl's scarlet locks out right then and there were Hiccup and Toothless not now descending quickly, the details of the reptilian body growing more pronounced with each passing moment. Sinead began to wave at Hiccup as they got within eyesight of each other, a snow white smile suddenly exploding on her face at the boy's appearance, the violet in her eyes restored to their previous luster.

"_I'm _the first…" Astrid mumbled, crossing her arms to try and keep warm as Toothless approached drawing to within a few yards before catching himself on his wings, sending loose snow into the hair of both girls as they averted their eyes from the cold wind. The dragon landed, Hiccup dismounted, his expression neutral yet with melancholic undertones that only Toothless understood.

"Well good afternoon Sinead…Astrid."

"Oh that was amazing! Very nice!" Sinead bounded forward to inspect the saddle, getting Toothless attention as the dragon tried to find areas of the snow pack that would support him without making him fall in. She slowly started to move her hands around the creature's head, once more running her fingers up the small spines at the center of the skull. "Very impressive."

_::Paying attention Astrid? This is how proper respect should be given…::_ Astrid passed off the remark as the dragon allowed Sinead's nails to dig deep into his scales. She walked forward, braid slung over her left shoulder and head tilted, trying to seem as demur and calm as the Irish girl. If it were all about appearances, then Astrid would just have to find ways to outdo she who had outdone her in the first place.

"So Hiccup…how was your flight?"

"Oh you know…cold." Sinead let out only a huff and a smile as Toothless nudged his head into her chest. Hiccup was rubbing his hands against the hastily sewn together furs draped around his torso, giving half hearted and uneasy looks to Astrid.

"Mmh…glad you enjoyed your flight Hiccup."

"Yeah! Thanks Astrid! It was…uh…yeah it was great. Really…really…nice." She could sense the uneasiness flowing off of him, perfect for her cause.

"Oh it must be so nice to fly. It is very good yes?"

"Oh yeah…really great. Right Astrid?"

"Yep…_really_ great." She hoped her tone would get Hiccup's attention, that she could convey an eagerness to talk in private and away from the eyes and ears and accursed lips of Sinead. Instead he was once more oblivious around her when in the Gael's presence, caught in the amaranthine trance.

"Yes. I can go on flight sometime maybe?"

"Yeah…well…I mean what do you say Toothless?"

_::I will rest for now. Joyrides may come later but only then. Farewell.::_ The moan that came from the dragon and the swinging of its tail as it walked away was signal enough for Sinead, as were the words heard by the Vikings. Hiccup tucked his hands beneath his armpits, trying to keep them warm beneath the furs as he felt around the snow for areas firm enough to stand on without falling through.

"Yeah…maybe later Sinead."

"Oh…sad. No matter. Later then yes?"

"Yeah…sure thing Sinead." He walked around anxiously, unsure of his movements when around two different girls that made him uncomfortable in ways so similar and yet so different. Sinead walked towards him, never falling through the snow and seemingly one with the substance. She got close to Hiccup, her head leaning over him as the boy sank into the snow, Sinead appearing to be almost levitating above him, her scarlet curls drifting into his face with the wind. Astrid could see a brief, desperately confused expression in Hiccup's eyes before they were blocked by Sinead's hair as her face closed in.

There was momentary wet, sucking sound that made Astrid feel angry yet uncomfortable at the same time. She saw Hiccup's hands try and move towards Sinead's abdomen for a moment, flattened as if trying to push her away. But the Gael pressed the kiss in deeper, and with the rush of emotion Hiccup's hands fell limp to his side, body helpless against the affection. Astrid actually felt her fist clenching again, seething with anger-she refused to call it jealousy. She would continue to refuse that she wanted to do to Hiccup what Sinead was doing, but at the same time that was a task that was reserved for her and her alone, preordained by the gods and saved only for her. To Hel with the past, he had always belonged to her even if she had always refused him, and no Gael was going to change that.

Sinead drew away, revealing the face of a Hiccup that had seemingly lost all energy and zeal for life in that one prolonged kiss. Sinead turned back to Astrid, eyes afire with a violet pride bordering on the wicked. _One punch_, Astrid told herself. Just one nice jab right into those violet eyes filled with all her anger and frustration and she'd feel better. Still, circumstances warranted she hold back.

"It was nice to see you fly Hiccup. Maybe tonight I go yes?"

"Uh…yeah sure Sinead…depends on the weather."

"Okay! Very good. I see you then!" Sinead seemed to drift over the snow like an individual flake, the ground seeming to not dare let such a beauty of similar color fall through. She wandered away back towards her house, leaving Astrid and Hiccup alone in the cold and snow. Toothless had since trudged away as well, making for the barn over the hill where he was told he could get out of the elements provided he did not harm the livestock. He was so far holding up to such a commitment, even if both caretakers for the dragon were skeptical for how long such an agreement could be maintained.

"So…you're uh…doing well in the church Astrid?"

"Yeah…doing just fine Hiccup. How about you?" Astrid's tone was marked with an underlying frustration she desperately wanted Hiccup to catch on to. If not though, she was still prepared to be direct if necessary.

"Oh just…you know…Irish certainly do know how to put you to work I'll say that."

"Yes…it appears they do…" It gave Astrid an almost sadistic pleasure to see the red flood of nervousness come to just below Hiccup's eyes while the rest of his face seemed to be trying to beat the snow for purest appearance. He shied away from her gaze a moment, seeming to open up the topic to be approached. Before Astrid could begin, Hiccup had already beaten her to it.

"Look Astrid…that was…well you see that was…"

"_That _was what?"

He sighed; Astrid could feel the apprehension in his voice even if it was signed with just a slight modicum of determination. "Alright…well…as you can see Sinead is rather…_into_ me." The last phrase almost brought a smile to his face were it not for Astrid's domineering presence which did its usual job of stripping him of any confidence he may have had.

"Yes, I can see that. Now the question is…are you _into_ her?"

"Uh…" Astrid once more felt herself in the position of the hunter, running down the prey until she got an answer out of it. Enough with the guessing, enough with suspicions. She needed facts and details. "Uh…well I guess I would be pushing her away if I wasn't so…I-uh-I…yes?"

"Yes? Is that a question or an answer?"

"Uh….yes. Yes! I-I-I-I like Sinead." The confession was simple and short, but had enough weight to quiet the air between the two. Hiccup had tried to look determined and sure of himself during the proclamation, but the silence created by such an action left the boy looking timid and unsure of himself. "Is…that a problem?"

"Problem? You think I have a problem with this?"

"Uh…maybe?"

Astrid walked forward, relieved to find that her few footsteps had not led to her falling through the snowpack. "Hiccup…she's going to be married off in a few weeks. What do you think you're actually doing with this girl? What are you possibly gaining from this?"

"I'm…well…_something_."

"Oh? Something? And just what exactly is this _something?_"

Hiccup was feeling the assault, and Astrid could see it in his increasingly nervous expression. She had him where she wanted; all that was left was to keep applying the pressure. "Why are you doing this Hiccup?"

"Mmh? Me? W-What am _I_ doing? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh you know damn well what it means! What the Hel are you doing fooling around with a girl that's supposed to be married!? Do you know how dangerous that is? What if the chief found out? He could have you killed!" Astrid felt that if she walked a fine balance between concern and anger she could win Hiccup over the easiest.

"Yeah?! Well…so what? I'm…enjoying myself aren't I? Isn't that important?"

"No!" Her response was as quick and decisive as the most fateful knife blows, striking in its brutality. "No. Not now, Hiccup. Whatever you're trying to do, whatever you think is going on is not what you think."

"Oh really? And what makes you so sure of that? Can't I-"

"Hiccup…gods you're dense. What do you think this is? Really?"

"It's…it's uh…well…she likes me…_a lot_. And I like her back…so there you go."

Astrid passed off Hiccup's admittance which she took to only be the mumblings of a fool failing to comprehend his own circumstances. "Really? You think she likes you? Loves you? Ever stop to consider why? Mmh?"

"Well uh…" Hiccup's arm went behind his head again, scratching at his hair as his eyes shied away from Astrid's gaze.

"I'm concerned for you Hiccup. You're acting foolishly here and I worry about you." She thought that if she softened up she could make some better headway. Aggression was only making him draw inwards as he typically did during their more abusive years. She would swear she had seen a light briefly flash at the back of his mind, a call for help and security and a return to the way things had been before Sinead had ever entered their lives. It was instead shoved asides and crushed by the personality of Hiccup that now controlled him, one driven by lesser desires and defensive towards any threat that would impede such things.

"Well why are _you_ concerned all of a sudden with what I do? If Sinead loves me, can't I love her back?"

"But Hiccup she _doesn't_ love you!"

"Oh and you do?!" Time had seemed to stop following the response, as if the gods had forgotten to process with the march of reality. Astrid was left speechless by the response, a nasal growl indicative of a soul torn. He appeared as though he had just defied the will of the divine or at least that of a parent, his fingers trembling both from the cold and his own actions, a defiant question that Astrid was left without an answer to.

"I-uh…I…Hiccup I…"

"Yeah….that's what I thought." He began to walk forwards, off to Astrid's side and intending to head towards Sinead's house. "M-Maybe if you…maybe…"

"Hiccup…" Astrid wanted to lunge after him, wanted to push him to the ground and beat him and hug him and kick him and hug him some more. She was confused, conflicted and increasingly cold. Hiccup picked up his pace, falling through the pack several times but making good stride towards the security of Sinead's embrace. She was left in the village center, a cold breeze making her idle stance increasingly uncomfortable.

She'd come so close and yet had emerged even farther away. His exiting question had struck her with more precision than a poisoned arrow, aiming for a heart that did not want to feel such misery. _"And you do?"_ She wanted to answer that question in two ways. She wasn't some plaything to him; she had more dignity than to give herself to his affections out of pity or concern. At the same, she did…_care_…about him, as one does a pet or old relative. She was seeing the innocent boy that she wanted to hold her at night being sucked further and further into the Irish trap, hypnotized by the amethyst eyes and bound towards one kind of disaster or another. He wasn't right, wasn't the boy she knew or wanted. She wanted the boy she'd just started to like, had _just_ begun to think about as something more.

She rubbed her hands against her arms, running them up and down Hiccup's own tunic to keep herself warm against the chill. His scent was still there, the smell of the boy she knew was still with her. Even if she didn't love him, she was still going to save him.

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

_Seven_.

"Idiot doesn't know what's good for him"

_Eleven_.

"And even if he did he's too dense to make sense of it."

_Fourteen_.

_"Kyy-rie-El lie-ee-son…."_

"Fool…"

_Nineteen. Twenty._

_"Chri-is-is-the Eli-i-ii-son…"_

"Idiot gets what he deserves…"

_Twenty eight._

_"Kry-rie-El lie-ee-son…"_

"Idiot."

_"A-A-A-A meeeennnnn…."_

_Thirty_.

After three sets of thirty, Astrid finally started to feel both the physical and mental strain of repeatedly pushing herself up from the cold wooden floor. She changed her position and stood, quickly going to lean against one of the wooden benches. The setting sun outside still gave the illustrious windows lining the church enough light to show their true glory, but it would not be long before all manner of brilliance and color would be removed from the building- the beautiful glass rendered black, their geometry bare and their images no longer soothing but reminiscent of the phantasms of nightmares.

_"Kry-rie-El lie-ee-son…"_

Father Liam kneeled towards the altar at the front of the church, hands clasped together and head between his arms. He had been singing for the better part of an hour, and perhaps even longer considering he had been in such a state since Astrid had returned. Her encounter with Hiccup had left her uneasy, and the great architecture and magnificent color of the building-despite doing all it could- had been unable to fully relieve her anxiety. Now, with her muscles aching from the training and with the low sounds of Father Liam's voice reverberating off the wall in deep waves, she was at last beginning to relax.

_"Chri-is-is-te… Eli-i-ii-son…"_

Ashling as usual sat in one of the front benches, trusty doll always within her arms. She was still not very open to Astrid and refused any more than basic communication, the most that typically came out of her being the now common "_Mo theachsa!"_, which had greeted her as she'd entered the church and the girl had pattered away to Liam's side, watching on with half curiosity as the priest lost himself to the chant of his own voice.

_"Kry-rie-El lie-ee-son…"_

"He's an idiot…"

The last notes of Liam's trance died against the wooden walls, no more of the baritone melody that Astrid had almost started to get into now that she was resting. The man did not turn towards her, but the sudden silence and lack of movement cued Astrid that there were more words to be spoken.

"You are troubled my pagan friend…this is about the boy isn't it?"

Astrid let out a long sigh that echoed just as much off the walls as the priest's singing. While the issue was difficult to talk about, she really had no one to discuss it with at this point, so an Irish caretaker would have to do.

"…He's…he spent eight years trying to get my attention, always so attentive and worshipping and everything…and sure maybe I treated him like shit-"

"Language…"

"Sorry. Anyways maybe I wasn't the nicest to him at the time, but I was starting to come around on the idea that maybe we could actually have a working friendship. And then he just goes off and starts loving on the chief's daughter! Oh! You won't…tell him will you…?"

"I'll consider it a confession… _despite_ your lack of baptism."

Astrid began to walk forward from the center of the church, passing off the priest's statement as another thing having to do with his obsession with sanitation and purity. She'd learned enough of the Father's work to understand that what she had said was now sworn to secrecy, one of the attributes of the man's profession she rather admired. Berk could use a man everyone could tell their secrets to in confidence, it was certainly one of the better ideas of the Irish she'd encountered.

"Well…now that he has I don't…I don't know maybe I feel…"

"Rejected?" Father Liam did not face her and kept himself kneeling, posture unbroken from his meditative state and attention directed towards the pink marble altar. His one word echoed lightly off the walls, surrounding and striking Astrid from every angle.

"Well…yeah. I guess…I guess I had just taken his interest in me for granted all this time and now…now I guess I miss it."

"You feel unloved?"

Astrid had wanted to reply immediately, but found the words caught at the back of her throat, only a short and unintelligible sound making its way out before she closed her mouth. Did she feel _unloved_? It wasn't the most pleasant of thoughts, yet it seemed to be the truest. First Hiccup had stolen her away from the love of her father and tribe. But at the same time he had done everything he could to show that he cared for her, and in those first few weeks-even if she would reject such feelings-she knew that she was still loved at least by him. Now though, that feeling-the admiration, the joy, the happiness she had started to enjoy was suddenly gone, like a warm blanket quickly torn away on a frigid morning that left only a cold and saddened body behind.

"…Yes I do. But here's the worst thing about it! It's not like he and Sinead have been through anything monumental together! Hiccup and I _grew up_ together, we… we used to be _actual_ friends at one point. And now apparently all it takes for him to forget that is getting a little attention from some random woman with…well okay maybe she is gorgeous but so what?! It's like he's passing me up just because I've got some standards and actually want this to develop just like he asked…_naturally_. No…all he apparently wants is some big tits…red headed…violet eyed…smiling eyed whore…

_"Language…"_

"…sorry."

Astrid held her tongue for the moment, both frustrated by the priest's scold but sensing he was going to speak in a moment. She leaned against another of the benches, the polished wood creaking as it absorbed her weight.

"Astrid…do you love flowers?"

"Uh…what?"

"Did I not ask it correctly? Do you….love…flowers?"

"Uh…yes?" While she felt that the priest was going somewhere with the statement, whereabouts currently seemed abstract and far away to Astrid, taken aback by the question that had come from out of nowhere.

"Why do you love flowers?"

"Why? They're uh…I guess they're…_pretty?_"

There was brief low sound that came from Father Liam's mouth and reverberating off the front of the church, a huff of satisfied laughter that only made Astrid more interested in what the man had to say. "Perfect. Yes, flowers are very pretty. When springtime comes around and there are flowers everywhere, you find them very pretty don't you?"

"Well…yeah. They're flowers, flowers are pretty."

"And what happens to flowers Astrid? When winter comes around what happens to the flowers?"

"They die."

"And when the flower dies, when it grows withered and brittle, do we still consider it beautiful?

"No."

"Very good. Now your mother…you told me she is dead yes?"

"…yes."

"Yet both you and your father hold a great opinion of her don't you?"

"Yes we do." In the quiet of the previous night, Astrid had given the priest a slightly fabricated story of her mother's demise, stating that she had died of plague instead of Nadders, insistent on maintaining the guise that she and Hiccup came from a land where there was peace with dragons. She wasn't sure why considering how Hiccup had distanced himself from her in recent days, but it had nonetheless been the story that the priest knew and now examined.

"I see. Now let me ask you this. If there were a flower that had died at your mother's grave on the same day she was laid to rest, and you then did not come back to the grave for a year, would you still love your mother?"

"Well…yes. She's my mother. I will always love her."

"Yet this flower which had at one point been beautiful, would you still love the flower?"

"No, it wouldn't be beautiful anymore and therefore I wouldn't care about it anymore." While Astrid was delighted to take part in a conversation as cerebral and educated as this, she was still seeking a point, a higher purpose to these questions about two subjects that did not seem related. "Father Liam…where are you going with this?"

Liam was quiet a moment, his breathing just barely audible to Astrid. Ashling had remained quiet this entire time, completely apathetic to the conversation that was anyways incomprehensible to the girl. "Allow me to further expand on this if you will. Your father is still alive yes?"

"Yes."

"Objectively…would you consider him beautiful?"

"…Uh…yes?"

"So he is beautiful for the moment. But when he grows old, when his face becomes wrinkled and it is difficult for him to walk and his sight begins to fade, will you still love him even though he would no longer be beautiful?"

"Again, yes. Liam, what's your point?" Astrid got up from her lean against the bench and moved closer towards the front of the church, trying to elicit a response from the priest with aggressive footfalls striking against the wooden floor."

"_Father _Liam to you lass...regardless of your heathen ways. Now the point…my anxious friend… is that the things that we find beautiful for a short time become less beautiful the longer we know them. The love we have one day may turn to hatred the next, the healthy flower that in spring fills us with hope and anticipation becomes nothing more than a withered plant by winter, making us feel depressed and filled with woe. By comparison, those things that are truly worth loving, those things that no matter how long they stay dead or look unappealing still fill us with happiness and hope; those are the valuable things in life."

Father Liam broke his posture and motioned with his hands towards the altar, arms flat and giving a silent praise and reverence to the pink marble.

"Beauty Astrid…Beauty like even Christ himself dies. But love…be it from God or another person…_that _is what lasts forever."

Astrid was stalled in speaking a moment, so struck by the words. It took several attempts before she could utter anything forth. "This is…this is your religion I assume?"

"Ha…if only all of my kind were so wise…I assure you Astrid that any love that is only based on appearance or a momentary connection is a doomed endeavor, for it lacks exactly what you describe to me, time and space to grow naturally. The bond between true lovers is much like that of a parent and child, natural and unwavering, committed not_ to_ an end but _till_ the end. What your friend feels towards Sinead is passing; much like I would at least assume her attraction to him is…" Father Liam ended on a tone of curiosity, expressing a lack of understanding about the situation that Astrid herself agreed with.

"Well…maybe I don't love Hiccup _that_ _much_, but I still don't want to see him get hurt-any-anymore. Which is all I can see coming from this. That's what I don't get about this whole sudden fascination between the two of them!" Astrid began to make short paces from one side of the dividing path between bench rows, grumbling to herself about the situation that still astounded her. "I mean what does she even think she's doing?! She's being married in less than two weeks anyways, why is she all of a sudden throwing herself at _Hiccup_ of all people?"

"…Indeed…does not bode well for my life if that wedding gets canceled. I may speak well of Heaven, but I'd rather live a longer life before I get there…"

"Precisely!" Astrid was now at the front row of benches, eyes straining under the weight of concentration, trying to make sense of the impractical. "She's putting all of you, even herself at risk by doing this and for what?! She's not going to see Hiccup once she gets married off and we're out of here, so why show such disloyalty to her betrothed? What does she think she's going to…she can…oh gods…"

"What?" Father Liam sounded genuinely intrigued, and showed such a thing by finally turning around and standing up, dignified in posture but with visibly hurting knees. The revelation was hitting Astrid's mind like a painful but necessary hammer blow, breaking down the wall of confusion that had held her back from understanding.

"…That _BITCH!_"

"_Language…"_

"Yeah yeah I know house of God and all that. Father Liam I've got it! I knew she was always acting suspicious when the wedding was brought up…now I know why!"

"Why then…my most foul mouthed pagan?"

Astrid began to smile; almost giggling to herself she was so proud at figuring it out. The events and circumstances were finally coming together in her head. Sinead's uneasiness both at the dinner the first night and now today at the forge. Her willingness to throw herself at Hiccup and to allow him to become so close and so quickly. Acting like she didn't want to get married, because she didn't!

"Because…my most wise Irishman, she wants to replace me so Hiccup will take _her_ with him instead of me when he leaves! She's just _using _him to get out of this marriage, taking advantage of the fact that Hiccup's so desperate for love that he'll fall for anyone who gives him so much of a kiss…that b-"

A look from Father Liam was enough to dissuade her from her final exclamation, but her argument nonetheless was working its strength on the priest, his face changing texture and appearance as the revelation worked through his mind. "Well…that _would_ make sense now wouldn't it?"

"Yes it does! Oh! Haha! Oh I've got it!" Astrid clasped her hands together and began to rub them, her smile breaking out into a full grin of joyful malevolence."Oh she's going to get something…soon." Her smile quickly dissipated as she was once again given to thought. "All I need is…just need to find an opportunity. Need to prove this to Hiccup, need to show him what Sinead _really _wants…and it isn't him! Haha!"

Astrid turned her back on Father Liam, in a brooding contemplation over her new revelation. It all made sense now, this crazy scheme by this crazy Irish girl. She felt it almost insulting, the fact that the Gael was so audacious to think that just because she had an upper hand on Astrid in terms of beauty and that there was nothing of a more serious nature going between her and Hiccup that she could float it and steal away the boy who had stolen her away from home. She'd seen the opportunity and taken it, extorting Hiccup with kisses and empty promises of fulfillment. All for her own goals, goading Hiccup along with gossamer hopes woven into a web of deceit and self-interest.

"And I assume you're going to do something crazy about this then?"

"Oh yeah…if she wants to be opportunistic…then so can I."

"Mmh…Vikings, always the crazy ones you are. No wonder you don't convert so easily…" Father Liam crossed his arms and turned back towards the altar, walking towards it while whispering prayers beneath his breath. Astrid could feel the adrenaline surging through her, making her extremities throb in excitement. She knew the plan, and now all she had to do was counter it. Her grin returned; mind concocting a plethora of different means of doing Sinead in and winning Hiccup back to her. He deserved to be free, to be among the clouds with her and subject to nothing but his own desires…provided they all revolved around her of course. She was breaking the spell, breaking the hold and showing him what it meant to actually care about someone. She glanced at Ashling, who shied away with her doll and giving out the classic "_Mo theachsa!"_

"Little bitch." Astrid muttered, thinking half-and-half about Sinead and Ashling. The young girl looked at her a moment in curiosity before tilting her head with an innocent face.

"Bish?"

"Ashling! Language!"


	9. Remarkable Times

Han the Sentry was a rather unremarkable man. Put bluntly, he was among the most unremarkable of men to have ever existed. There was little about him to distinguish him apart from anyone else. He was for all intents and purposes a person undeserving of remark, a soul without importance to anyone.

It was perhaps because of his unremarkable nature that Han had become a sentry, a guard of one of the many ships in the fleet to which he was employed. Only a foe would ever care in the slightest about sentries, and without a present foe to fight, Han the Sentry found that there were few to care about him. He was just an unremarkable man fulfilling one of the most boring and tedious posts any military has to offer. An unremarkable role for just as unremarkable a man.

He had come a long way to get here, traveling from the vast and arid steppes where he had been born and raised and escaping many a dangerous hardship to get where he was now, an unremarkable man staring out into the calm azure waters of the Black Sea. This was his role every other day, a long shift of sentry duty on this vessel, a massive ship designed for war and conquest yet still virgin to such a brutal task. The craft eschewed beauty and style in favor of practicality, and its entire surface held only traps, chains, cages and other tools as necessary for the subduing and submission of nature's greatest prize, creatures he had once been oblivious to in the steppe lands but had come to marvel at during his short two years in this army.

Dragons.

At first, he had wanted desperately to see these beasts of legend, the creatures that tormented bodies and lifted up souls in fascination. Majestic yet terrifying phantoms that came out of the sky like nightmares and left devastation and awe in their wake, the scourge of farmers and the muses of artists. In his pursuit of these creatures, he had found himself seeking employment to keep himself stable and fed in this strange world so removed from the flat plains of his younger years. It was so that he had eventually found the army that was just coming onto the cusp of proper fighting strength. Upon entering, he had found his last name stripped away, his arms tattooed and his fascination with dragons transformed into a fear-fueled hatred. He was now Han the Sentry, an unremarkable man with a rather unremarkable job.

Yet this solitary day which this unremarkable man found himself placed in was anything _but_ unremarkable. It was the last day that Han the Sentry would have to stare at the same space of water in the Black sea for fourteen hours straight, straining to see mirages on the horizon that would otherwise have never bothered him. But since he was Han the Sentry, it was his duty to report everything that he saw, even if nothing ever came of it. This was the last day that this massive ship to which he was assigned was to stay in port, the last day that this growing fleet of increasingly restless soldiers from all corners of the Black Sea would be held back from their grand design. Tomorrow, the campaign would begin. Tomorrow the port would be sacked by the soldiers; every coin, barrel of grain, cask of alcohol or man who could be levied as a soldier would be forced into the fleet and the armada would depart. He was familiar to the plan only by virtue of a curious relationship he had developed with the fleet's commander.

Such a commander was a man unlike any Han had ever seen, by far much more remarkable than him and deserving of the commanding position he held. Every day, the commander would come and visit this one spot on the ship, where Han the Sentry would be performing his assigned task of staring out into the waters. While he mostly had to stick to monitoring the horizon, there were instances when Han the Sentry would stare directly downward from the edge of the ship, where massive chains extended deep into the water, whatever they held obscured by the depth and opaque nature of the liquid. Every few moments large bubbles of air would froth to the surface, dispelling themselves in random ways as they were carried off by the surf.

The commander would come to this area of the ship every day at least once, beating on the chains with a large bullhook and letting out ferocious and guttural yells that would tend to leave a ringing in the ears of Han the Sentry. After this brief and erratic bout, the commander would sometimes stay a while and maintain short conversations with Han the Sentry. While it occasionally pleased him that the commander-an otherwise reclusive and mysteries man-deemed him worthy enough to hear snippets of plans and stratagem, his presence was an intimidating and uneasy one.

He was a large man, wide with muscle and with a thick face bearing scars of campaign and battles long ago waged against man and dragon. His accent was thick yet indescribable, much like his complexion. He in so many ways resembled the peoples that inhabited this port who had traveled south from the Northern lands of the Rus, which as Han understood it was the first stepping stone in the great and ambitious campaign to be waged. At the same time, his complexion seemed to hint at an origin in more southerly lands, where the sun never sets and the soil becomes barren and hostile to all but the most stubborn of peoples. He spoke with a low voice that resembled those of less civilized peoples, primal in its lustful desire to dominate all those engaged with.

While his right arm was always revealed and holding the man's distinctive bullhook-a rather odd choice of a weapon as far as Han was concerned-his left arm was rarely displayed. It was of metal construction and intricate design, with fully flexible and moveable parts that could sometimes be seen swaying as the commander walked. Many of the soldiers had their own rumors of how it had come to be, with everything from the father of a lover to a valiant showing in battle being responsible for it. None knew for sure though, and just as few were eager to directly ask the commander about it.

These rumors were often exacerbated by the cloak worn over the prosthetic, composed of the most illustrious dragon hide Han had yet laid eyes on. It was so simple in color, of a black that rivaled the darkest of nights for terrifying appearance. At the same time, it was this single, simple color that seemed to profess epic tales of the personality and past of the man who wore it. The gruesome story behind it had been relayed to Han almost as soon as he had joined the army, this momentous event occurring only two years prior to his enlistment. The ferocious, almost totally barbaric way in which it had been attained still left Han with an uneasy feeling towards the commander, that if he made the wrong move a similar fate would befall him and his own skin would be worn on the commander's right arm. He very much would not like to be skinned, let alone alive. Yet such was the kind of man who commanded him, one who kept order and discipline as much through fear as by respect, even if the two were often one in the same thing.

The bubbles from beneath the ship continued to surge upward as they always did, the waves of the sea splashed against the boat that would soon move out to conquest and fortune, leading an army of thousands till the ends of the world, until both man and dragon were made to kneel before the fleet's commander. Even Han the Sentry, as unremarkable a man as he was would play his part. This humble man had fled the steppe to see the world, to see the peoples of Europe and most importantly to see dragons. One way or another, he was going to see it all.

War was a good place to start.

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

"I'm telling you man you never even had a glimmer of hope with her!"

"Are you kidding? These Thorston charms? How could she have resisted?"

"Uh…does anyone want to remember that _I_ was Astrid's best friend…I think I know her better than any of you, and she wouldn't want you even if you two were _Líf _and_ Lífþrasir__."_

The Great Hall was in as celebratory state as possible, trimmed with evergreens, pinecones and other symbols of nature. The_ Jul_ log had been triumphantly lit a few days ago and was still burning. With the gods' favor it would hopefully continue in this way for the rest of the festival, giving great warmth and light to the hall in this otherwise dreary and melancholic time.

"Ooh…she would have been my _Lífþrasir _…I can see it now…"

Snotlout had been in a slightly less than insufferable mood since Astrid's "disappearance", or at least that was what it was supposed to be called. There was an informal agreement between the entire village to refer to it as only that, a disappearance. It had only taken a younger boy who had not known any better to give his condolences to Haldor Hofferson to convince the rest of the village to tiptoe around the subject for now. The rage of the Hofferson clan was legendary to every Berkian, spanning back three generations. Seeing the lonely patriarch of the household exhibiting such a trait to a young boy was all the affirmation of the legend the village would need for a _long_ time.

"Like Hel she would have! She was a blond anyways, blondes go for blondes and it makes _way_ more sense for _Líf_ and _Lífþrasir_ to both be blond than to be blond and black of all things! You're…you're just ridiculous man."

"Uh…You're _both_ ridiculous." Ruffnut interjected, trying to kill the conversation where it was.

"Well if I'm ridiculous…and you're half me…then that makes _you_ ridiculous too!"

"Uh…we're twins you idiot. I'm only half you…so I'm only half as ridiculous."

"…so you're still ridiculous?"

"Oh shut up Fishlegs…" Ruffnut grumbled, wiping her jaw as she took down another gulp of watered down ale, a treat with which to celebrate the season. Much of the village was gathered in the hall, celebrating both _Jul_ and a very successful defense of the village last night where there had not been a single casualty and only minimal property damage. There was always a least _one_ house that was catching fire, but considering how Ivar still had most of his roof following the raid, it was considered negligible.

She, her brother, Snotlout and Fishlegs were gathered by themselves at the end of one of the long tables that lined the hall, their stomachs filling with fresh caught game and minds wrapped up in the festivities. Harps, drums, and flutes joined Ingrid-the village's best voice-in singing the old songs of heroes and lovers whose exploits were of so long ago that they lived on only in memory.

It had been almost one and half months since Astrid had been discovered missing, since rumors had spread through the village like dragon fire on a dry night. Ruffnut dearly missed her closest friend of more than sixteen years, and was admittedly bitter at her absence. Everybody was to be honest. The day of the dragon training finale had turned from a celebrated rite of passage into a merciless bloodbath as Stoick and Haldor each took their respective halves of the trapped dragons to kill. The blood that had been spilt was not one signaling a coming of age or a triumph of strength, but was simply a thick, red fluid that had once given life shed in an emotionally bitter rage.

Not that Ruffnut could blame them, she had been just as angry those first couple of days since Hiccup and Astrid went "missing"…well more so Astrid than Hiccup. Despite the village being delicate in discussing the matter openly-especially when Haldor was within earshot-there was nothing that stopped many of them from continuing with their theories and speculation in private.

"And besides Snotlout even if she_ was_ into you…why the Hel would she then run off with Hiccup? Don't you-"

"She did not _RUN OFF_ with him you idiot! She was kidnapped! Him and his stupid dragon…stupid…" Both Snotlout and Tuffnut had become increasingly at odds in recent weeks in determining what could have, should have, and might have been with Astrid. Fishlegs, though having just as much an eye on her as anybody else was equally disappointed, but had accepted the loss with a notably mature reservation. The same could not be said for his friends, who were continuously quarreling over who she should have had greater affections for-which was more so based off who she _hated less_ than anything else.

"Oh you know she ran off! It's the only possible answer. Probably wanted to get away from you and then make up her mind to come back to me!"

"Uh… if she ran off…wouldn't that mean she wanted to be with the person she ran off?"

"Oh shut up Fishlegs." Tuffnut grumbled, leaning back in his seat. "Besides, if she were to have run off with Hiccup…that would mean she _liked_ him. Who's talking stupid now eh?" The brother gave a smug smile, confident in his response.

"That's because she didn't run off! She was kidnapped! Hiccup _kidnapped _her… that little shit face!" Ruffnut found it rather peculiar that Snotlout was more insistent on Hiccup suddenly becoming someone he wasn't than for Astrid to actually make a decision of her own free will. So peculiar in fact that for the first time in two weeks she decided to actually take a role in one of these conversations, to stand up for her friend.

"Well none of us know for sure do we? And besides that, you all know there _was_ a point where she liked him right? What's so ridiculous to assume that maybe she started to like him again?" The three boys stared her down with a look of bewilderment, as though Ruffnut had suddenly committed heresy or sworn off the gods.

"W-what? When did Astrid ever like _Hiccup_? He was Hiccup…are you serious?!" Snotlout's wrath towards his cousin had not subsided since his and Astrid's disappearance. The audacious act had left the position of heir open to Snotlout, but that seemed little substitute for the sudden disappearance of the boy's most carnal desire, one that was more primal and lustful than anything else. He was by far the one most willing to spar with Astrid and seemed to display a sick, masochistic joy in feeling her fists against him. A strange, vaguely sexual pleasure at the pain she inflicted.

"Ugh…maybe my brother and I aren't as stupid as you all think-"

"Well we all know _I'm_ smart…still working on-oh!" A swift and effective jab from Tuffnut's sister against his arm was enough to silence the boy for the moment. There was a decisiveness coming off Ruffnut that they could all sense, and against which none wanted to make a stand.

"Don't you all remember when we were…oh I think we were all eight or so? When she kissed him at _Jul_? Remember, she actually admitted to liking him…right in front of us? Hello? Anybody?" The looks of profound confusion melted into pondering faces as each boy scrambled the most unused parts of their memories to recall such an incident.

"…Oh…oh wait…yeah! Oh wow! I'd actually forgotten about that! Oh that was-"

"Oh Shut up Fishlegs!" Snotlout broke his visage of confusion, contorting and shifting into a scowl as the memory crawled out of the depths of his memory like the dead that rise, a haunting and disturbing figure that seemed to induce fear and anger unto the mind.

"Yeah…remember? You were acting like your usual asshole self and making her upset and she kissed him to shut you up? Worked pretty well actually…wish he was still around so I could try it." Ruffnut scoffed in amusement at seeing a nice and healthy rouge flood into Snotlout's face, almost resembling Astrid during the fateful event that now so enraged the young man before her.

"…yeah? So what? That was before we grew up, before she got to see all…_this_!" He flexed his arms and smiled at his own muscular appearance, his undeniably impressive biceps seeming intent to burst out of the skin that looked too thin to hold them.

"Uh, you just gestured to _all_ of yourself. You know that, right?" Tuffnut thudded back against the table as he stopped leaning in his chair and righted himself. He received nothing but a scowl of anger from Snotlout, while Fishlegs cued with his eyes that he mirrored the male twin's sentiment.

"Uh…yeah! Who's dumb now idiot?"

"Hey at least when I'm an idiot I have reason for it! You're just an idiot man."

"Yeah but still an idiot that could beat-"

"Hey!" Ruffnut slammed her palm down against the table with a thud loud enough to garner the attention of both the boys around her and the next few tables on either side of them. "Would all of you just shut up for a gods damned moment?! We were talking about _Hiccup_, not your stupid muscles Snotlout."

"But my muscles are a part of-"

"No! Just shut up and let me talk or I swear to Thor I'll carve out your eyes with a sewing needle!" Ruffnut made a mental note to herself to keep that insult for later usage. She'd just come up with it on the spot, but considering the effect of terror it was having on Snotlout it seemed to be a good one, so definitely worthy of being added to the arsenal."…Ugh…anyways, just remember that time all right? She liked him back before we all started treating him like shit and everything. Who's to say she doesn't like again now?"

"Uh…because he beat her in dragon training? Remember _that_? Didn't she even tell us that she was going to go find out how he had gotten so good and punish him for it the night they both vanished? Even if she did like him, I don't think she would have liked the fact that he showed her up so quick and suddenly."

"And that's why she was kidnapped! Kidnapped and taken by my bastard of a cousin away from her one true love…my beautiful Astrid!" Snotlout couldn't be kept down for long and was now right back into the conversation, back to his old and as far as Ruffnut was concerned fantastical assertions and pining.

"No man I'm telling you that she's just trying to get away from you, waiting for all…_this_ to develop." Tuffnut waved his hand in friend in front of his body, giving a smug smile as he once more asserted himself.

"Uh…didn't you just gesture to _all_ of yourself? Didn't you just criticize Snotlout for doing that as well?"

"Oh shut up Fishlegs." Tuffnut snarled at the boy, whose various attempts to bring order and reason to discussions such as these were most always met with derision and anger. Ruffnut herself was certain that if this was looked at logically and all the facts were gathered together, then perhaps maybe they _could_ figure out what had happened. Instead though, her brother and Snotlout went about their usual bouts of agitation and forlorn fantasies.

"Hey! Would you two just shut up for-"

"Oh come on you'd never develop like me Tuff! No way she'd have ever gone for you even if you…even if you were_ Líf _and_ Lífþrasir_!"

"Oh great Odin's ghost enough!" Ruffnut quickly pushed herself up from the bench and stormed away, only Fishlegs paying her any second thought for a fleeting moment before once more trying to organize the conversation between the two other boys. Ruffnut trudged away, seeking the doorway and the fresh air that lay outside. She was growing increasingly certain that if these bouts of masculinity continued past festival season that either her brother or Snotlout or both were going to be hurting bad. Maybe she _would_ carve somebody's eyes out with a sewing needle one of these days.

The other villagers gathered around ignored her as she made towards the massive doors, much too caught up in the euphoria of drunken bliss to pay her much more than cursory attention. She caught a fleeting sight of chief Stoick at the far side of the hall, enjoying the company of some of the village elders near the _Jul_ log. His spirits had seemed to improved remarkably in the past few weeks; Hiccup's absence in body had seemed to coincide with an absence from his father's thoughts. Ruffnut thought this to be among the most depressing of the events related to the vanishing. The thought of her own parents forgetting about her after such a quick period of time was a distressing prospect, and not one she enjoyed contemplating much. She knew that the boy and his father had grown apart just as much the children, but the girl wanted to believe that somewhere within Stoick there was a grieving, pained soul that wanted his son back. If it was there though, Stoick's stoic nature was not making it obvious whatsoever.

She slid outside the doors and into the night air. As cold as it was, the absence of wind would make her leave bearable just long enough to clear her head and temporarily forget about the pointless feuds of her brother and Snotlout. She needed space and time to think, to once more process the same thoughts that surged through her head almost every day. Memories of a friend now gone and a boy she had not cared about for eight years.

She had to concede that _maybe_ her theory was baseless, that she was talking nonsense about Astrid willingly going along with Hiccup. At the same, time, it was all that made sense to her. The thought of Astrid being overpowered, of Hiccup acting in any way assertive enough to go so far and _kidnap_ her just seemed impossible, surreal. There must have been something more, something that nobody was aware of that had prompted Astrid to go with him, something she must have kept repressed and locked away from everybody, including her best friend.

Astrid had indeed been her best friend by far. Being the only two girls of similar age, they found their mutual company was one of the better ways of retaining sanity in the chaotic world that was Berk. They had been the best of companions since Ruffnut could remember; each life as intertwined in the other as between Ruff and her brother-except on far more amicable terms of course. Looking out on the still village, small flakes of snow descending gently from the darkness above, Ruffnut felt a painful longing for days gone by, when the two girls would meander through the streets on evenings quite like this one for hours discussing every matter of importance to a young lady. They had grown up on these streets, supporting each other through every experience of growing up. Bleedings, dragon raids, waiting for fathers to come back from nest hunts, and those final few weeks of training. Ruffnut had always had Astrid to help her through it and vice versa, and now that other half of Ruffnut was gone, leaving the prospect of wandering the streets a depressing one at best.

It was on these streets that the two had talked about that seminal event that was now stalking Ruffnut's thoughts, the belief she had put forward at the table to both console her fears and shut up the others. This same time of year, eight years ago when one event had momentarily shocked their small of group of friends. Just before they had all separated and Hiccup had begun to be ostracized, it was the last great and fascinating moment of their childhood, and one which Ruffnut had always kept at the back of her mind whenever she saw Astrid joining them in making Hiccup's life a veritable nightmare.

The night after that kiss Ruffnut and Astrid had gotten together as they usually did, and it was of course the first thing that the sister had wanted to discuss with her friend. Getting answers out of the girl had been a difficult and mostly fruitless endeavor. Astrid was nervous, embarrassed and nearly combative, trying to maintain a blatantly false façade that she hadn't meant what she did, that the kiss had been nothing and she'd only done it to make Snotlout shut up. But no matter how much she had said these things, Ruffnut simply refused to believe it. There had been an unspoken honesty, a passion to the innocent affirmation of affection she'd shown that belied any attempt to cover it up. Though no matter how much Ruffnut pushed the issue, Astrid remained defiant.

What baffled Ruffnut at the time was _why_. She couldn't quite understand why Astrid had been so bold as to actually kiss him at that one moment yet refuse any and all affection afterwards. She suspected it might have something to do with her father, that he might have caught wind of the incident and scolded his daughter for it afterwards. Astrid had made Ruff more than aware of her father's rather overbearing nature as they'd grown older, as the girl often used it as an excuse why she didn't want to spend time checking out the foreign traders that would sail into port, an otherwise welcome sight to the typical coming of age girl on Berk. Ruff knew how stringent Astrid's father could be when it came to her relations to the opposite gender, encouraging an aggressive and combative demeanor around them and above all else Hiccup. It was only natural that when the boy became ostracized, he received her wrath worse than anybody else.

Yet peculiarly enough, on those few times where Astrid would finally break down her artificial wall of hate and the two girls would openly share their desires and dreams for husbands and lovers, what she professed astounded Ruffnut. Her details were vague and her determination in actually finding someone lacking, but the person she described was remarkable. Somebody that was her opposite, someone with a shy and sensitive personality but who was also loving and supportive, no matter how crass or aggressive she acted. Someone that would always love her, always had-a secret admirer of sorts. She thought of a love that would come from her dreams, which would surge forth from some unknown and distant place to sweep her away to some other plane of greater happiness.

To Ruffnut, that person seemed to be the same one they were collectively pounding into the dirt every other day.

She would never dare say such a thing to Astrid though, as these few episodes of wishful thinking were often followed by a few weeks of Astrid being even more aggressive than usual-especially towards Hiccup. Ruffnut simply couldn't stop herself from seeing a correlation, even if Astrid seemed totally oblivious to it. That which a younger version of her had wanted was deemed worthless by the girl she had become. Nothing mattered to this new Astrid except being the best, being the strongest, being who she was told to be. The love of a little girl was held captive by the ferocious mind of a young woman, restrained and tortured until it had withered away into nothing but an abstract idea, a passing thought easily dismissed from the warrior mind as unnecessary and against the martial ethos imposed on this girl without question.

A small wind that would have in warmer weather been considered cool and refreshing reminded Ruffnut of just how exposed to the elements she was, her fingers beginning to grow pained at the cold weather. Upon listening as closely as she could, she could not detect the argument over whomever Astrid would have liked better coming from inside the hall. Considering herself calm enough to rejoin the festivities, Ruffnut glanced at the waxing moon that displayed an immaculate shimmer against the ebony sky. She took comfort in her belief that somewhere beyond the farthest horizon; her old friend was enjoying the same sight.

"Freya's grace Astrid, Freya's grace."

She turned to enter the hall again, opening the door and seeing that her hearing had actually deceived her. In fact, the argument had gone beyond words and into an arm wrestle between her brother and Snotlout, Fishlegs mediating. She grumbled about the idiocy of the endeavor but still decided that watching such a contest might prove interesting. She proceeded inward, marveling at the efforts of the two boys to prove who had been the more desirable to a girl no longer here. Each was so caught up in themselves that they failed to see what Ruffnut had known for eight years. Astrid's heart already belonged to someone else, and whether kidnapped or going of her own volition, Ruffnut had a feeling that such a heart was going to find its way to that special someone no matter the challenge.

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

The Irish were a people that Astrid had mostly observed to be quiet and withdrawn, speaking little and keeping to themselves even when in general company. They were a people who would rather mull to themselves than share thoughts with others, and those thoughts they would share were often brief but wise, seeking quality over quantity with their words. They were a race wholly devoted to introspection and self understanding, and only once this task was completed would they contribute anything to the conversation, a few words of tried and true Celtic wisdom to set you on your way as they once more retired back into their souls to reflect. Overall, they were a remarkable and distinguished people without equal.

That is, until is alcohol is introduced.

Fiddles and harps danced over a rhythm of drums that had beat on with little rest for the better part of two hours. The musicians elaborated over melodies over and over again, ornamenting them with every repetition until they seemed to change into entirely different pieces, rhythms subtly changing with the progression of the leading tune. A man and a woman each took turns contributing poetry to the music, reciting a tale of the land's history that-while beautifully sung- fell dead against Astrid's ears, the foreign tongue incomprehensible to her.

Tonight was some kind of holiday to the Irish as Father Liam had elaborated on earlier that day to her. Something to do with a child being born in a far away land that was supposed to be the son of this religion's trio of gods. If Astrid had cared enough, she would have pressed for more information on this aspect of the Gaels' odd faith. It was certainly interesting, but Astrid had far more pressing concerns on her mind at the moment. Namely, the ongoing celebration that spiraled around her as villagers of every age and disposition whirled on in a vibrant display of dance; their choreography varying depending on how much they had drank. Astrid sat alone, a half-empty cup of water at her side. Father Liam had remained in the church both to look after Ashling and to get back to his prayers. He'd rushed Astrid out the door and to the celebration as he mumbled on about "heathens enjoying less pure tastes" and "sinful villagers celebrating without prayer." She was watching the festivities from afar, caring little for what the rest of the villagers did and focusing instead on a single duo of dancers near the right side of the large hall in which the festivities took place.

One was a girl with crimson hair that rolled down her hair in curls, draping the side of her pure skin and concealing from view her amethyst eyes that would put the robes of emperors long dead to shame. She had taken the lead with and guided the footsteps of a boy boasting a disorganized mop of brown hair, his face doused in perspiration as his fur vest locked in all the heat of the body that spun and twisted in the erratic Irish dance. Between every few dances the two of them would take a break just long enough for the downing of ale. Sinead was a light drinker or at least she chose to be so for the evening. Hiccup on the other hand was being coerced further and further by the girl with every break from the merriment. Astrid had watched it go on for the whole night. At first he had actually shown a fair deal of resistance to much of the powerful alcohol, but Sinead was slowly wearing him down throughout the evening, pouring more and more of the liquid down his throat and meeting less and less resistance each time.

Astrid had tried to put a stop to this after the first two cups full, only to find that Hiccup was being as withdrawn and combative as he had been the day before, his stinging rebuttal of _"And you do?"_ was still ringing in Astrid's memory as a bitter insult and strong incentive to free him from the trance of the Sinead. She'd tried to get him to stop drinking, to make sure he was still keeping his senses and that he wouldn't do anything rash. Instead he had merely ignored her and gotten back to dancing with the Gaelic seductress. Sinead in fact seemed determined to get just the right amount of alcohol into Hiccup as she could, determined to impair that sense of rationality and reason that might otherwise have made him more attuned to the girl's intentions.

Astrid had thus been resigned to a small table near the back of the hall, keeping a close eye on the two as the musicians played on and time never seemed to advance, not a single villager growing weary of the manic dancing or thundering drums. Several of the younger men around had come up to her throughout the evening, daring to make passes and proposals to her in snippets of Norse and a drunkenly slurred Gaelic. A few kicks to the knees or even more sensitive areas below the waist from beneath the table were always capable of doing away with them quickly however. It pleased Astrid that no matter where one went, violence was a universally recognized language.

Her realization of Sinead's plan yesterday had roused her to a new sense of action and determination towards removing Hiccup from the Gael's grasp, of liberating him from her violet trance and dark, opportunistic intentions. She had so quickly sucked the boy into a cult of devotion, making him a slave to her will and adoration if all for her own ends. Kisses and lustful glances were increasingly being exchanged between each dance, strengthening in intensity and obvious in their desire. It was only a matter of time at this point, Astrid knew it. If this girl wanted her wedding canceled and a certain guarantee to be taken away from this village, throwing her body at the problem was most definitely the way to do it. Every subtle and desirous touch they exchanged-always being _just_ careful enough to avoid the glances of people with any authority-enraged Astrid further. Hiccup could be dense sometimes, but to the extent that he would be so willing to allow this Gaelic goddess to wrap him around her finger was only further sign of how inexperienced the boy was in matters of love and desire. Granted Astrid knew just about as little, but if they were stuck together they were going to find out about a thing as complex as love together…not that Astrid was in any rush to discover such things of course.

The current song ended, a raucous applause being directed to the admittedly impressive voice of the man who had sung with an upbeat, rushed yet disciplined tenor. Sinead and Hiccup had taken a break from their unity of dance to give their own appreciation, hands falling to their sides and clutched together. For a brief second Hiccup and Astrid met gazes, the latter pleading with her eyes for him to stop, to give her another chance to explain what was going on. Instead, the boy only looked away, nuzzling his head closer to the scarlet locks that were always welcoming to him.

A man joined the group of musicians, brandishing a large bagpipe with drones that seemed to extend towards the ceiling. This seemed to only be met with more cheers from the villagers who seemed to be expecting a marvel of music unfamiliar to Astrid. After a few smiles and waves to the audience, the piper turned to the other musicians who made ready to begin the next tune. Prepared for whatever came, Astrid braced her ears for the worst.

And it came.

The entire hall seemed to shake as the drones pumped out the deepest and most powerful note Astrid could have ever conceived of, constant and unending, piercing the ears with a monotonous wave of sonic assault. The chanter broke into a high pitched melody at a rapid pace, the fingers of the piper running up and down the pipe with a speed that almost blurred the digits. The rest of the hall broke into a frenzied kind of movement that in some ways resembled a festive dance, while at the same time trying to imitate the shifting whirlwinds of dreams, without form or function and devolving into a mass of movement, constantly changing and devoid of any manner of organization. If it _was_ a dance, it was better suited to the formless beings of ethereal plains than clunky, intoxicated human bodies.

Sinead and Hiccup were slipping out of the hall, heading for the backdoor and wrapped tightly in each other's arms. None of the other Irish seemed to take notice, too caught up in the deafening roar of the pipes that collided and echoed back off the walls of the hall and collected in Astrid's ear in a sanity-destroying wail. At seeing the two people of her interest disappear into the snow, she pounded her cup against the table and got up, as equally desirous to hunt them down as to escape these pipes that were driving the Irish into a frenzy of erratic movement. She was quick to dash past the other Irish, catching a momentarily glimpse of Chief Brian. There was a moment of contemplation within her of going to him for assistance, of having him use his power to stop this catastrophe between his daughter and Hiccup. At the same time, Astrid knew the chief had to have had a few drinks by now, and that if she _did_ bring up the issue Hiccup may in fact be hurt for his own actions, as misguided as they were. She had to settle this _herself_. If Hiccup belonged to her, she was going to be the one to get him back.

She slid through the door and braced her face against the winter cold, not as severe as the last few days but still uncomfortable even with every piece of clothing she had on. The night was clear and the moon shining at its best and brightest, reminiscent of certain evenings Astrid would spend on the streets of Berk with Ruffnut. If there weren't more pressing issues to deal with, Astrid might have spent some time thinking about her best friend. Instead, she looked at the few footprints that had fallen through the snowpack that led awkwardly away into the darkness, where the laughs and incomprehensible mutterings of the couple could be heard rapidly moving into the distance. The moonlight reflecting off the snow pack showed the tracks and the silhouettes of Sinead and Hiccup marching up the hill at the far side of the village to the barn that lay beyond it.

"Not tonight, not ever." Astrid muttered as she began to trail behind them with the occasional fall into the snow. Sinead and Hiccup were cresting the hill and were inferred to be sliding down the other half quickly towards the safety of the barn, the boy manipulated to do gods know what to the daughter in order to cancel the wedding. As Astrid continued forward-growling at the icy wind that dared to delay her-a sound akin to flapping leather came from behind her, a shadow of the night came swooping down from the top of the noisy hall and landed next to her.

_::Good evening Astrid, is it not cold out for you? Why have you left the safety of the building?::_ Toothless' curiosity was clearly apathetic, but with just a tinge enough of genuine interest for Astrid to actually make her case.

"Toothless, do you have any idea what Hiccup and Sinead are about to do?"

_::I assume become mates? This typically happens after the action they are off to perform yes?::_ Astrid could have laughed at the dragon's ignorance. For all his supposed wisdom and foresight, he was as totally oblivious to the circumstances as the boy being dragged towards them.

"You really have no idea about what this means do you? Do you know what's going to happen _after_ they go through with this?"

_::There is an after? Are human mating rituals really this complex?::_

"No you ignorant reptile…" Astrid growled, though feeling excited at explaining her great revelation to the self proclaimed sage of the group. "Sinead has been seducing Hiccup all this time! She's just _using_ him to get out of the marriage she's supposed to have in a few weeks! She's trying to replace me so that Hiccup will take _her_ with him rather than me! That bitch!"

The dragon held her view for a long moment, lowly purring as he contemplated the words. Astrid took this as a sign of apathy. "Of course I'm sure _you'll _be delighted with this, considering how much of a nuisance I supposedly am…" She signed her phrase with a touch of anger, feeling that she was suddenly outnumbered in her concerns, left alone in a willingness to stay a part of this strange trio that had emerged between Hiccup, herself and Toothless.

_::…That bitch…::_

Astrid's face collapsed into mild surprise at the echo in her head, so different from what she had expected. "W-What? You…you _don't_ like this?"

Toothless shook his head and rolled his eyes, knowing he had done something to surprise Astrid and prepared to elaborate upon it.

_::While granted you are still something of an inconvenience for me, you are MY inconvenience. Hiccup and I had an agreement that I would take YOU along when we left Berk, that the strain on my back and whatever annoyance that I suffered would be at YOUR hand. If what you say is true and that he is being manipulated to exchange you with somebody else, I cannot allow that. The agreement was that YOU annoy me, nobody else, and certainly no human who absorbs so much of Hiccup's attention as the blood haired one. He may wish to mate with both of you, but at least you keep him at a distance. If he and Sinead become mates and I then had to deal with such a thing…I would rather lose my other tail wing…::_

"…oh. W-W-Well great… let's…let's go get him then."

_::Excellent. I assume we shall probably be having to leave afterwards then?::_

"Probably…can't imagine this is going to go down peacefully."

_::Should we not then obtain the basket with the many things you need to live?::_

Astrid paused a moment, considering the option. "Nah, no time. I brought it with me to the church and I don't think you could get in quick enough in any way that didn't involve blasting open the front doors, which I don't think Father Liam would care for very much. There wasn't much in there anyways, Hiccup and I are already wearing all the clothes we have, we'll get by."

_::So be it. I recommend getting on; we shall get to them faster this way than you constantly falling through the snow…weak human…::_

Astrid smirked at the dragon's dry, derogatory humor that she was finally getting used to and quickly hoisted herself onto his back. "Oh…Hiccup's also had quite a bit to drink so far so he…you might need to instruct me on how to use the fake wing."

_::Too much to drink? Since when has water ever impacted his capacity to fly?::_

"Oh you _really_ don't get people Toothless. Drink, as in alcohol…that thing that makes people stupid? You know?"

_::Oh! You mean the fire water? I know what you mean now, though using a term with as loose a meaning as 'drink' does not help to make oneself very clear in situations like these.::_

"Yeah yeah the important thing is CAN YOU TEACH ME TO FLY YOU!? Time's wasting here Toothless."

_::So long as you are willing to learn, then we should be able to get out of here with…MINIMAL …trouble.::_

"Perfect, let's go _interrupt _them then."

Toothless bounded forward into the snow and up the hill, following the footprints of the couple that by this point was sure to be in the barn and entering into the preliminary stages of the carnal act which Sinead was using to make herself unworthy of being a bride. Astrid held on to the saddle hard as the dragon kicked up the snow around him with awkward leaps forward. While the Night Fury was certainly comfortable to ride while in the air, there was a reason why horses were horses and dragons were dragons. Upon reaching the crest of the hill Toothless caught a convenient gust of wind and extended his wings, gliding on the air along the downward slope towards the barn that lay at its base, door open and more footprints leading the way inside. The full moon gave both girl and dragon the best possible vision on a night of such importance, the snow before them illuminated as though an ocean of gleaming silver, betraying the position of the couple they sought, as though nature itself was siding with Astrid.

Toothless rode out his glide as long as possible, managing to make it last until just near the barn where a quick leap brought them close enough for Astrid to dismount. She leaped off quickly, gritting her teeth against the cold and kicking away the snow that dared to stand in her way.

Inside this barn Sinead was leading Hiccup towards disaster, towards undeserved fulfillment that only had a basis in the girl's own gratification and her fears of being married off, exchanged like a common slave. It was a false love, with no founding in mutual respect or admiration. Just a boy that Astrid had regrettably pushed away for so long that he was seeking any sort of affection from anyone that would give it to him, regardless of consequence. Astrid pushed asides any feelings of guilt that she may have been the cause of this, for it was no time to contemplate such things. All that mattered was showing Hiccup that he didn't have to do this, that the love he had was not the love he sought. Whatever came of this, Astrid was ready.

She pushed the door further open to let in as much of the moonlight as possible, revealing Hiccup and Sinead halfway inside the barn, pressed up against a support beam, luckily still clothed. Sinead was grinding her hips against Hiccup whose face was firmly planted at the girl's neckline, pressing awkward, drunken kisses against her collarbone and neck. The Gael clearly had no goal of teaching Hiccup anything about how a woman wanted to be pleased or how to properly engage in the act of love, and was only allowing him a hazy exploration of her body so that she could get at what she wanted, not him, but a single part of him.

The new burst of winter air from outside caught the attention of the two as Astrid began to step inside, Toothless trailing behind her.

_::I assume you will want the honors?::_

"Damn right I do." She began to walk forward, Sinead turning around in surprise, Hiccup lifting his head from her neck in shock at the sudden appearance of the young shield maiden. She was wrapped in the moonlight, draped in an aura of sterling gloss that parted around her as she stepped forward. "Hiccup…"

"A-A-A…Astr-?"

"Hello Astrid." Sinead spoke up, showing a confidence usually only seen in the most experienced of con men, amaranthine eyes shining brightly in the light, at the apex of their seductively hypnotic shimmer. "I am afraid we are busy now. You can play with Hiccup later…when we are done, yes Hiccup?" She looked back to him with another of her demur smiles that seemed to always melt whatever resistance Hiccup could ever try to mount against her. He could only present a bewildered, dazed expression. He had no ability to resist, and no longer any mental function to even contemplate such an action. He only nodded slowly, attention split between the Gael that held him in her arms and the Viking that now approached.

"No…you're done playing, _both _of you. No more games Sinead, no more trickery." She stood a few paces away from both of them, ignorant of the cold and with only one goal in mind. "Hand him over. We're leaving, _now._"

"Oh…I think not Astrid. Hiccup loves me…not you. You never loved him anyways; this is what he tells me and what you show. I don't think he want to go with you anymore, think he want to be with me instead. Yes Hiccup?"

"Mmhh…I…Sin…Ast…"

"Hiccup…" Astrid stepped forward again, bypassing Sinead's glare and commanding the boy's attention, his verdant eyes glazed over in a drunken confusion. "Hiccup…listen to me. She _doesn't_ care about you, she never has and she never will. She's just using you for her own benefit, trying to get out of her marriage. You don't want this Hiccup, you don't want her."

Hiccup's eyes began to squint, a mind awash in alcohol and riding the waves of young lust trying to return from its high and make sense of the girl in front of it, an old object of fascination trying to appeal to a boy lost within himself.

"You aren't meant to be some plaything for her…because you love me. You _always_ loved me and…and…I…c-c-_care_ about you Hiccup. I…I don't want to lose you, not now, not ever. Come back to me Hiccup, give me another chance." Astrid felt uneasy- her legs weak at the confession, but at this point she was willing to try anything. She pleaded with her face, desperate and genuinely scared that she might actually have to go a life without this boy after a few strange but pleasant weeks spent with him in total freedom.

Hiccup was still confused, without a total awareness of what was going on around him but still in a struggle to find out what he desired. He slowly turned his head towards Sinead, whose crimson locks of hair were still in part enveloping his head. There was something about this woman that had so fascinated him, yet it seemed to be fading away, something else forgotten was now remembered and battling the allure of this violet eyed girl.

"Sin-" Whatever plea or statement he would have made was cut off by another kiss from the Gael, sucking at his lips and demanding that he return to their previous business. He moaned in pleasure even if it somehow seemed more hollow, less filled with that sense of wonder that had otherwise typified his encounters with this girl. She withdrew shortly after, leaving him stunned and catatonic once more as Sinead turned back to Astrid.

"If you wanted him, you should have taken him." She loosed her arms from Hiccup's sides, moving her whole body to face Astrid. The Viking grit her teeth and clenched a fist, ready to strike now that the girl was removing herself from the boy's protection. Astrid wouldn't hit a Hiccup that didn't even know what was going on, that could wait until he regained some of his mental faculty. "I do not think Hiccup wants you anymore, thinks he want me instead. You should leave us, he belongs to me now…" Sinead smiled once more, her pearly teeth glistening with a seductive malice.

"Oh really?" Astrid muttered walking forward another pace, invading Sinead's personal space as her condensed breath rose between the two of them in a thick grey cloud. "I'm afraid I have to disagree."

"Oh? You think he belong to you?"

"Yes…" Astrid smiled herself as the two girls stared each other down, amethyst and cobalt seeking dominance over the other in the pale, ambient light of the moon. "But let me put it in a way you'll understand."

On her last word Astrid quickly cut up with her left elbow, striking the Gael's lower jaw. She followed up with a powerful punch from her right to Sinead's face that sent the girl reeling back with a yelp that betrayed whatever confidence she had previously demonstrated. Astrid continued the assault by grabbing Sinead by her shoulders, the slender and lithe build of the girl making her no match for a toned Viking physique. Astrid threw her to the ground and stomped on her face a few times before finishing with a kick to the abdomen.

_"Mo theachsa!"_ Astrid yelled, the word coming quickly to her mind in the midst of the rush of combat. She took a deep breath, pained with the cold air but exhilarating overall. Sinead was whimpering on the barn floor, groaning at her pain and struggling to find the strength to get back up. Astrid kicked her one last time for good measure before turning back to Hiccup, in as much shock as Sinead as he leaned up against the barn post, incapable of determining what was going on. She walked towards him with grace, relieved that Sinead was dealt with and that she could address Hiccup directly.

"Whaja….Whaja…whaja do tha' for?" He questioned, cautious as the ferocious girl approached him. Her body was intimidating, her actions unnerving. At the same time her face enchanting, her smile disarming.

"Hiccup…" She whispered as she drew within a breath's distance of him, noses almost touching. "…don't leave me Hiccup…come back to me." She leaned forward, determined but with trepidation. Hiccup appeared so stunned, so confused at what was going on that she felt it unfair of her to continue. At the same time, she knew it was the best way to win him back, the only way to show she cared. She was scared of what may come of it, but even in these distant fears there was a light of hope, that what may in fact emerge could be something positive. With this aspiration in mind, she continued to lean forward, stammering a few times but continuing on as Hiccup stood motionless.

"Come here."

His lips tasted like mint, a scent she had smelled on Sinead before. It was a disgusting reminder of a girl that did not deserve him. She wanted to destroy this taste, to replace it with something of her own that he would always remember even beyond his drunken state. She ran a hand up his tunic towards his heart, pulling him in closer as he helplessly surrendered to this small oasis of paradise in a cold wasteland of manipulation and pain. His heart began to beat faster; she could feel it through his clothes. There was a soft moan coming from the back of his throat, and if Astrid had any more a sense of easiness and romance at the moment she would have done the same. Seeking air, she pulled away, her cheeks ignited in a burning red as she huffed against his face in uneasiness. His green eyes seemed to change before her, some of the cloudiness that had existed within them before was gone, more of a semblance of the boy she knew had returned. He looked at her as though she had revealed a great mystery to him, as if she had shattered some great illusion that he had blindly walked into and restored him to the world of reality.

"A-A-Astr-Astrid?"

"I'm here Hiccup." She gave a weak smile, refusing to process her previous action and instead living off the joy that it had given her, embracing the happiness at once more having Hiccup with her.

_"Athair!"_ A sharp cry came from behind them as Sinead scrambled to her feet, her nose bloodied and her body hunched over in pain. She began to quickly run for the barn door, Toothless letting her by without hesitation. He had watched the whole show in amusement, and only cared now that Astrid had shown the proper dominance on this interloper to Hiccup's relations with both girl and dragon.

The cries of _"Athair"_ could be heard fading into the snow as Sinead disappeared from their presence. With her gone, Astrid got her head back into reality and realized what had to now happen. "Right…well we should…we should get going then."

_::I agree. I cannot think that your use of force-very well performed mind you-is going to be well received by the other people.::_

"No it won't, come on Hiccup." She pulled him by where she had grabbed his shirt, tugging his body towards the exit of the barn where Toothless had already made his way outside and lowered himself onto the ground so as to be mounted.

"As…Astrid…"

"We can talk later Hiccup for now we need to get out of here…come on." She kept pulling him along until Hiccup's drunken, disoriented body finally arrived outside the barn where a combination of Astrid and Toothless' strength and maneuver managed to prop the boy onto the dragon's back. Hiccup tried to move his foot into the pedal switch, but was forced away by Astrid without much resistance. He was still too drunk to make much sense of anything; the only little sounds that got out of his mouth were bits and pieces of either Astrid or Toothless' name.

Astrid leaped onto Toothless without hassle and set herself into the front of the saddle, finding the false wing control fit her foot rather nicely. "Okay Toothless…what do I do here?"

_::Hiccup last placed it in the 'neutral' position, so if I remember correctly two clicks downward should put the wing into the ascending position. Once we get to a cruising altitude then place it down one more click to straighten it out so I can fly straight.::_

"Like this?" She pressed down on the peddle and found it took very little strength to adjust it the appropriate amount.

_::Yes. Very good. Make sure he is holding on.::_

Astrid felt behind her and grabbed Hiccup's arms, limp by his side as the boy's head fell onto her right side. She wrapped his arms around her waist and clasped the fingers together with one hand. They were cold and rigid; she wanted to make them warm and fluid once again. She knew it would be hard for both of them flying into the winter night, but even just a brief flight could get them far enough away from this village to someplace safer where they could be wrapped around each other inside Toothless' wings, as warm and comfortable as possible, together.

"You ready Hiccup?"

"…strid."

"He's ready Toothless, let's go."

_::With pleasure.::_

The dragon was quick to extend his wings and leap into the air, kicking up the snow on the ground briefly as he soared upwards to the moon. Astrid held tight to Hiccup's hands, refusing to let go as his chin dug fiercely into her neck. Astrid suspected that the tired and confused body might be falling asleep by this point, so she let him lean against her back as they straightened out a few thousand feet above the ground. The wind was ferocious, the cold a stinging knife constantly beating against Astrid's face and body. She now knew what Hiccup was always feeling whenever they flew, as he absorbed much more of the wind than she usually did. She grit her teeth and worked through the chill, the pain on her free hand so bad that she tucked it under her leg and focused on balancing on Toothless with her legs. Hiccup's body was pressed firmly against hers, holding on tightly and seeking their mutual warmth. Astrid could not complain about the pain nor worry about the cold. All that mattered now was that Hiccup was safe, back with her and she with him. This was how it was supposed to be, and if she had to beat down every other girl from here till Ragnarok to keep it this way then she would.

"…As…Astrid." He murmured into her ear, just barely audible amidst the rushing wind. He was losing consciousness fast, fading into sleep even amidst these painful conditions. She held onto his hands firmly, fifteen digits battling the cold Irish winds and slightly turned her head to face him, catching only his head against her shoulder and hair flapping erratically in the gale.

"It's okay Hiccup…I'm here." She leaned her head over and brushed her hair against his, gently and with a zealous desire to protect. "I'm here."


	10. To Steal and To Give

A combination of uncomfortable sweating and an aggressive, unrelenting headache were the forces that roused Hiccup from a blank and empty sleep devoid of any kind of discernible dream. Despite prying his eyes open, he still saw darkness. He blinked a few times, and recognized that this other darkness was in fact separate from the one created by his closed eyes. He was enshrouded in some kind of black void, seeing only the faintest gossamer threads of sunlight that poured through.

His body felt as though it _should_ be dead, that life was too sweet a pleasure for him. His legs were doused in sweat, his entire body burning with an enveloping heat that while comfortable only exacerbated his sense of uneasiness. His stomach in particular felt as though it were seeking vengeance on him, determined to exact a painful indemnity upon the rest of his body for a reason he could not yet understand. His throat would have rivaled the great deserts of the world, in a dry pain and demanding lubrication.

There was a sensation behind him, some kind of heavy and unwavering warmth that was wrapped around his back. One longer extension of this warmth was tightly holding onto him, a small point of it almost reaching far enough up his chest to clasp his neck. Another of these warm extensions was tucked under his neck and had slithered downward, reaching its final destination at the center of his abdomen. This entire mass briefly shifted, adjusting itself behind him before pushing three more mounds of pain relieving warmth against his back, two in a close set and a final one nuzzling up close to his shoulder.

"Mmmhh…" Hiccup groaned, still waking up and trying to understand where he was. If it weren't for the feeling that his head weighed as much as his entire body and that his abdomen was locked in some manner of civil war he could have focused. He still wanted to retreat back into sleep, away from these annoying pains. At the same time the relieving heat at his back and around his chest was comforting, beckoning him back to a world of the conscious where such pleasures might be better enjoyed.

"Mmmhh…hi there…"

Like the answers to the great questions of life, the revelation snapped into the front of Hiccup's mind, making his head throb further but giving him a satisfactory answer to this simple riddle of sentience.

"A-Astrid?"

"It's me Hiccup…I'm here."

The words sounded vaguely familiar to him, as though she had meant something more by them. He passed such thoughts aside for now as he focused on the current circumstances, as difficult as it was for him to focus with his body in annoyed misery. Carefully he slid on his hips and rolled around to see this body behind him, forcing her to remove her arms from their grasp around him for the moment as the boy spun around to face her. These appendages were quick to wrap around him again as he looked into the darkness that encircled them both, a boy in pain and a girl whose golden hair could just barely be made out in the little light afforded both of them. Skirting forward just another inch made him bump noses with her; prompting groans from each as he withdrew far enough away so that he could not feel too much of her breath. His head still ached-and such a pain was only enhanced by the throb now emanating from the back of his nose-but the knowledge that it was Astrid holding onto him was a nice comfort, even if he was unaware of the circumstances that had brought this pleasantry about.

"Sorry…uh…hi."

"Hey there." Her voice was delicate and hoarse, a clear sign that she could not have woken up much earlier or later than he. His own throat begged for water to both ease its early morning pains and to soothe the pulsing agony at the front of his skull.

"Are we…we're under Toothless aren't we?"

"Yep."

"Okay…" He groaned, a stinging pain striking at the back of his mouth that only a hard swallow could fix. The front of his throat finally receiving some lubrication, he continued. "But where…where are we…besides under him? Why are we under him?"

"Ugh…you don't remember a thing do you?" She exhaled, a stale and rather unpleasant morning breath striking Hiccup's nose. He bore it silently for now, willing her to speak and reveal why they were in the position they were in, not that he was complaining.

"Uh…_should_ I be remembering something?"

She sighed, adjusting her head and trying to find his eyes in the darkness. "Hiccup…you don't at all remember what happened last night? You and Sinead? The village was at a party, you and Sinead went off to the barn…anything …?"

While his mind remained a dark and empty chasm of thought, what Astrid described to him was making him nervous. What _had_ happened? "Uh…we…we…did I…"

"Wow…I didn't really think you'd had _that_ much…you must be a real lightweight then."

"Excuse me?" He could just barely see what looked like a shy smile cracking upon her face; he couldn't be sure amidst the darkness. He was desperately trying to uncover some deep, mystical truth he seemed to be ignorant to, trying to command his brain to summon forth some momentous event that he felt he should remember but couldn't.

"You…Hiccup, Sinead was just manipulating you. She was seducing you so that you'd have sex with her, making her impure for the wedding and…and I think she wanted to run away with you to escape her village. She wanted to get away from her life Hiccup, that's all. She didn't love you; she just wanted to have…she wanted to _use_ you."

Hiccup felt his breath stall in his lungs, the very air itself in shock as he tried to summon the life giving process back into its unconscious rhythm. Small traces and hazy recollections finally began to surge forward. He could remember dancing, instruments and fantastical music that sent his body into wild contusions and positions that he was beginning to feel in his legs as a mild soreness. There was a taste at the back of his mouth that made his morning breath feel strange.

Somewhere in the darkness of his mind there was an image rushing forward, one that he felt should be pleasurable, yet it only left a painful and bitter sensation on his conscious thoughts. Two circles of the deepest purple, like shining amethyst polished and anointed with holy magic in the world of Asgard were all that remained of some previous image. The owner of these hypnotizing gems was no longer on his thoughts, all but vanished except for these two wondrous things that even now were already losing their luster and appeal, their entrancing shine dulling and their beckoning glances tarnished into dark, evil demands that this tired soul could not fully recall.

"Wh-What? You…you mean I-"

"No." The brief word lifted a mountainous weight off Hiccup's strained head that-while failing to relieve his persistent physical pain-did serve to alleviate his fears and worries about this strange event locked in the darkness of his unconscious self. "No she…she was trying to get you to but then I stepped in. You didn't do anything serious with her Hiccup."

"Oh…good." He exhaled, adjusting himself within Astrid's grasp. It was not a sensation he was unused to, he'd always felt her arms around him when they flew, and it was just as pleasant a feeling now as then. This though, seemed a more affectionate kind of grasp, one of protection and defense, almost combative in its hold. It was…comfortable, an embrace that clung to him like a sweet dream of the heavens that keeps the most dejected of peoples content in dark times. "So…uh…where are we then?'

_::Still under my wings if that was not already made clear::_ The soft echo of Toothless' 'voice' drifted into Hiccup's head, causing his headache to further strain the pain-bearing capacity of his cranium.

"Toothless? You're awake?"

_::No, I just prefer addressing people in my sleep...::_

Hiccup could feel thick slabs of leather-like wings sliding out from underneath him and the cool outside air rushing into to fill the void left by the dragon's absence. There was light, delicate enough not to pain his eyes that were at this point so adjusted to the darkness. He looked around and found that he and Astrid-still holding tightly onto him- were surrounded by rock walls, in a cave of some sort and close to the entrance. The outside shone brightly with snow that reflected the sunlight, the angle and luminosity of which indicated that it had to be closer to noon than dawn. Toothless was walking towards the entrance, tail flexing left and right as he stretched his spine and loosed his wings to the greatest extend he could stretch them considering the rather narrow limits of the cave.

After taking in his surroundings, Hiccup brought his attention back to the girl directly across from his face, her features now apparent in all their natural beauty. In the darkness, he had imagined her as stoic, as only a voice in an endless void relaying unpleasant memories that he himself could not recall. She was a warm entity surrounding him, a companion in darkness that enveloped him like a spirit. Now though, she was once again Astrid, flesh and blood and his spare shirt tightly holding onto him, her warmth becoming even more appreciated now that he could feel the cold air that surrounded him. Her eyes though were showing uneasiness; those magnificent sapphires were darkening and shying away once he directly looked at them, both bodies suddenly exposed to each other in the gentle light. In darkness this was fine, but in the light of day there was still something strange about this position, something that demanded they stay separate.

"Well…I should-"

"Yeah." She quickly withdrew her arms from around him and skirted away, getting up and offering him a hand, trying to look as dignified as possible despite the rouge that was pooling below her eyes. Hiccup pushed himself up slowly and instantly regretted the decision. His stomach felt as though it were about to leap out of his body by way of his mouth, every ounce of its contents begging to be released in an undeniably violent manner He took her hand and she helped him up, the boy groaning as his head spun in a confused and weary agony and legs trembled in distress.

"Freya's tits you're hung over just-"

"Outside…get me outside-fast!" Sensing what Hiccup was feeling, Astrid pulled at his body firm, motioning Toothless aside as she and Hiccup half stumbled towards the entrance and towards the late morning sun. The light was just beginning to pain their eyes when Hiccup pushed himself away from her and collapsed at the snow line, staining the white with a disgusting brown that came up in three large volleys, followed by a few aftershocks as he heaved up everything his stomach had to heave. Astrid let him do what needed to be done, knowing from unpleasant experiences that this was the kind of thing that needed to be done alone, in a solitude of regret and self-loathing.

"Oh-oh….oh my-ugh!" One more powerful heave shook his entire body along the length of his spine. Astrid could almost feel the pain that would have been surging through him, every twitch of his midsection or twinge of his fingers as they tried to dig into the ground was-as her father had told her-a way in which the gods punished you for being stupid. "Oh-oh gods…oh I am _never_ drinking again."

"…that's what my dad always said."

_::Always?::_

"He had to say it a lot." She shrugged, almost managing a laugh if not for Hiccup's pathetic state before her. She leaned down and held her breathing against the malicious smelling bile he'd hacked up. "You alright now?"

Hiccup quickly reached over to the fresher looking snow and stuffed some in his mouth, biting down on the flakes and letting his body heat melt it before swishing it around and spitting it back out into the pile of filth before him. He repeated this a few more times until he was as rid of the taste as he could be, turning a pale and sickly looking face to Astrid. "I'm…better now."

"Good, come on." She placed an arm under his chest and slowly raised him up, keeping a firm grip on him and cautious to see if his stomach had any more nasty surprises for either of them. He arched his head back as they made better posture, stalling for a moment in the sunlight.

"I need to…I-I need to piss. I-I'm okay…I think."

"You sure?"

"Not really…" He mumbled as his head fell into her neck, legs nearly giving out as he pushed most of his body weight onto her, not that the well toned girl couldn't handle it. "Ugh…oh man…"

"Do you…do you need some help?"

"I mean-I know you don't-"

"I won't look…just do what you need to do. It's alright."

"T-T-Thank you…" Astrid averted her gaze as she saw Hiccup reaching for the buttons on his pants. There were some things that she was determined not to see in her life, and Hiccup pissing was rather high up on the list. She shut her eyes at hearing the stream hit the snow, a sound she never liked hearing from anyone besides herself. It grew even more uncomfortable with the small moan of pleasure he gave out as the liquidation continued on for longer than she'd have expected. She would have reprimanded him for making her feel so awkward, but the notion of hitting Hiccup-much less a sick and vulnerable one like this just did not seem appealing to her right now. Later, maybe.

The torrent soon stopped and Hiccup readjusted the necessary buttons, giving Astrid the all clear when he was ready. Without a word they turned and marched back into the cave, one wounded comrade in the arms of a savior. She brought him over to the cave wall and set him down, the boy complying without argument, mumbling about how his body hated him for having the audacity to do anything as monumental as walking. "Do we…do we have any water? My father always said that water helps these things."

"I'll…I'll get you some snow hang on." Hiccup accepted this as Astrid stretched her back and walked towards the cave entrance, legs visibly stiff and body still clinging to the last vestiges of sleep. Hiccup let his head fall forward, a temporary relief as the blood flowed in every direction around his skull, begging him to think and contemplate his circumstances.

Astrid returned a moment later with a long stick of ice in her hand, clean and devoid of any kind of imperfection or dirt, freshly snapped off from near the cave entrance. "Here, this might be a little easier for now."

Hiccup accepted the ice with one hand and quickly adjusted his sleeve to wrap it around the larger base from which he clasped the icicle like a knife, nibbling away at the tip and chewing it slowly, his body jubilant at receiving some kind of hydration to restore all that which had been lost due to recent events. Astrid retreated to the cave entrance for another moment before returning with a clump of snow for herself. Toothless had curled back up close to Hiccup, forsaking hydration for now and not seeming overly concerned with it. Hiccup was sure he'd eventually hear the dragon going on about he had a superior capacity for water retention than compared to humans; such was the nature of the hubristic reptile. Astrid sat down across from him and took in a mouthful of snow, mouth wincing at the cold sensation a moment before she got it down.

"So…_where_ are we? What happened?" Hiccup just came out with it. He needed answers now, the simple pleasure of earlier-while agreeable-had to have had a catalyst for it to happen. "Do I…yeah wait why don't we just check the maps…_did_ you check the maps?"

Astrid averted her gaze away a moment, making Hiccup all the more curious. How could such a simple question bring about such wariness?

"I…we don't have the maps. We don't have the pack anymore, we-I left it behind."

"What? What do you…you left the pack behind? Why?" It seemed nonsensical to Hiccup, such an irrational thing to do. Why would you ever leave behind that one crucial thing that had so far been their saving grace on this journey?

"I…I kind of had to. By the time I went to stop you and Sinead-"

"Wait! Just…start at the beginning then. What the Hel actually happened because I swear I can barely remember anything at this point."

Astrid sighed a moment before giving him a small smile. "_Lightweight_…alright so you and Sinead were at the party…"

"Alright, I remember that much…"

"Anyways…basically Sinead just started pouring alcohol down your throat from the start. You at first tried to resist but…but you really didn't put up much complaint for long. After a while you were completely gone and that's when Sinead snuck you out of the party to the barn…which you complied with…"

Hiccup hung his head again with a newly discovered shame. Small wisps and vague outlines of memories-of cold, of arousal, of an anticipation for some abstract thing he had been seeking for so long danced in the dark areas of his memories like phantoms, incapable of being distinguished or fully realized but still conveying ideas that filled him with self loathing.

"So…I went to stop it because I knew that if you two went through with it then Chief Brian would probably find out and he'd kill you for disrupting the treaty process. Toothless and I followed you to the barn where we first met Sinead where you were just sort of getting into it…"

"Oh gods…"

"No Hiccup it's okay…" She was being sensitive and tender with the issue, knowing how awkward she would feel if placed in Hiccup's position. "So then I tried to stop you two but Sinead didn't want to, she wanted…_that_ to happen so that she could be spared the marriage, that's all. And then…well we got into a little fight-"

_::A LITTLE fight?::_

"Okay I might have beaten the shit out of her but that's irrelevant…for now. But-but yeah that's basically what happened and after that we had to leave really quickly because she was going back to get her father so I had to abandon the pack which I'd left back at the church. Then Toothless taught me how to use the pedal and we flew away. If you want to know where we are, all I know is that we flew over a lot of water for a good while before we found this land. Toothless spotted the cave and we set up here. We were both freezing at that point and I could hardly feel any part of my body so we curled up together and…and that's it."

"That's it?"

"Yep, here we are…wherever that is..."

_::No it is not…::_ Toothless' simple phrase earned him a look from Astrid, one not of anger but of embarrassed frustration, willing that the dragon had never thought the statement and sent it to both of their minds to be processed. Hiccup looked at her confused, not understanding why Astrid was suddenly being so secretive.

"W-What is…what's happening? Astrid?" She turned back to him with pursed lips, none too happy that she had to reveal this uncomfortable detail that could have waited till later. "Astrid?"

_::Upon the end of the violence-::_

"Toothless! I can handle this! She snapped at the dragon, who bat his ears back in surprise before rolling his eyes and settling back down to rest, seeing that his input was not wanted in this conversation. She once more gave a wary look to Hiccup who remained attentive, his own mental darkness preventing him from any kind of satisfying recollection.

"Astrid? What happened?" He asked timidly, gnawing off another part of his icicle as his headache began to minutely subside.

It took several incoherent and meaningless sounds before Astrid could manage any kind of sentence, uttered out weakly and with an emotion that had no real connotation yet bordered on shame.

"What? I didn't hear you."

"I-I-I might have…we…I-I-I kissed you." The three words once more stopped Hiccup's breath a moment as he nearly choked on his own saliva in shock. Was this part of the memory he was forgetting? This one event he had wanted for so long was lost in a void of darkness, denying him a conscious pleasure he had so desperately craved?

"W-W-What? As in…as in..."

"I-I had to. I didn't know if you'd…I didn't know if you'd follow me if I didn't. I needed to make sure…_you_ were still in there somewhere, that you still cared enough to not leave me." No part of her confession seemed fabricated, yet her body seemed wracked with the anxiety found in the most nervous of liars.

You…you kissed me…" He couldn't help the smile that broke out on his lips, the very thought-even if a locked away memory that still escaped him-was a pleasing one. This smile quickly faded when he saw Astrid's face, bitter and ridden with a shame he did not understand. "Because…" He desired for her to continue, curious as to what may come, be it long wanted acceptance or another of the rejections he was so used to.

"Look…yes I kissed you but…it's because I cared about you. I…I know you like me Hiccup; I think that much is obvious between us. It's just…everything is just going in a way I never thought it would ever go. Those weeks back before Sinead…those were great. I guess I do actually like…_this_, being free and everything. I kissed you because I didn't want to lose that, didn't want to lose the Hiccup I had gotten to know."

Hiccup bit off another part of icicle, fully attentive to Astrid but feeling uneasy. He was unsure where she was going with this, and -while excited- he was just as much frightened of what might come of this, that his one dream since eight years ago was forever going to remain a blank memory committed only as an act of desperation.

"I wanted the friendship we had before Sinead, maybe even a better one. So I _had_ to kiss you, it was the only way to show I cared." She leaned forward, bringing forth a small smile that eased both human hearts assembled. "I don't…I don't mean to be anything more right now it's…I care about you Hiccup. I care about you and I want to keep flying and exploring with you." She was looking away again, once more nervous and cautious to how she explained herself. Hiccup took the opportunity to try to explore this dilemma for himself.

"So…you _had_ to kiss me? That's it, a last resort?"

"No! I mean…well…may-no! No Hiccup I don't know what in Freya's name I'm supposed to be feeling right now! I wanted to save you from doing something foolish because I care about you! Isn't that enough?!" She was almost barking at him, causing the boy to wince his eyes as his headache struck back with a vengeance, angry that the boy had dared to try and make it go away. Astrid calmed herself a moment afterwards, seeing that she had crossed a delicate line. "I'm-I'm sorry. Hiccup…what I feel about you is…_complicated_ right now. Yes I like being around you but I-I just don't feel the same way about you that I know you feel about me. Just…don't get any ideas from this…_please?_"

Hiccup was quiet a moment, in a shocked and uneasy contemplation. What she said was so much like previous rejections, yet at the same time there was hope within it. Rising within Astrid was that friend he desperately wanted, slowly coming back out after being for so long subdued. Still held in chains, but with the locks slowly coming undone.

"Well uh…Astrid that's…I…I'm really not sure what to say right now."

"Just…give it time Hiccup. That's what you said at the beginning right? That you wanted us to be friends? Well congratulations…we're friends. Can we just leave it at that?" She was signing her words with frustration, but a frustration that was easing into an acceptance. She was content with her prospects and did not feel forced into them. Friendship was a natural thing, and it was this natural feeling that was stopping Astrid from being overly defensive about this discussion. She wanted to talk about it, but as only friends, all that she was willing to be.

"So…does this mean…you're staying?"

Astrid cocked her head, curious as to the meaning of Hiccup's words. "What do you mean?"

"Well, we agreed that if you didn't like all this by the time _Jul_ ended you were free to go, no questions asked. It's getting close to the end now…does this mean you'll stay?"

Astrid had forgotten about the agreement for the morning, hadn't really considered it noteworthy as she and Hiccup dealt with more important issues. Now though, it did seem like an important question to raise; even if she had already known the answer since that first night in his arms.

"Well…somebody's got to stop you from falling for every chieftain's daughter from here to Miklagard right?" She leaned back against the cave wall, smirking at her own confidence.

_::I would have stopped him…if I had cared enough about what he was doing…::_

"Precisely, can't have you giving your heart away to just anybody now can I?"

Hiccup shied away this time, slightly embarrassed but willing to deal with the attention being placed upon him. There was a joy surging from deep within his chest, flowing outward unimpeded by doubt or disbelief. It was a knowledge that he was cared for, enough to be saved, to have someone wish you were in their life. It was a feeling that spread warmth through his body even as his hand grew cold and wet at the touch of the icicle. Here they were, no longer a kidnapper and prisoner but friends, equals prepared to set out on some new and unknown adventure to gods knew where. He relaxed back against the cave wall as Astrid went back towards the entrance to fetch more snow for herself.

Perhaps he-no, he most definitely _had_ been a fool for what he'd done. Self doubt and manipulation had led him astray from his truest desire, this girl that was finally revealing who she had once been to him, who had given him something he'd wanted an encore of ever since that first night, even if this refrain was lost to darkness. He would have lamented about this, would have mourned the loss of some event he had desired for so long. But now there was hope, hope that there was a chance that such an event and even more lay in the future, hope that his life once more had a purpose beyond mere physical gratification. Hope to love, and a hope to be loved.

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

Astrid's stomach tightened and moaned, angry that it had not been nourished in more than two days. She rested a palm over it, assuring herself that food was coming soon; all that was required was a little more time and effort. The abdomen settled itself for now, grumbling that it still had to wait for some kind of nutrition despite the prevalence of it nearby, just waiting to be taken and consumed.

The rest of the first day in this new land had been mostly occupied with bringing Hiccup back to his senses, the boy devouring as much snow as he could to alleviate a powerful thirst that had come over him. They had remained in the cave, passing the time either in rest or light, harmless conversation. She'd learnt that Hiccup's favorite color was green, favorite god was _Vili_, and that when he was five years old his father had actually tried to arrange a marriage between him and the heiress of the Bog Burglars. She'd shared that her own favorite color was yellow, that her favorite goddess was _Iðunn_ and that when she seven her father had almost accidently sliced her head off during a swordsmanship demonstration. They'd laughed and frittered the day away in amusing banter and learning things about each other that-even if they had known them before they'd grown apart-had been forgotten in the procession of time.

Yesterday had been spent getting bearings on where they were. The land was mountainous, lined with ranges of cragged rock peaks that stretched on forever, swaths of snow holding on desperately to the slopes as the winds carved and remolded the drifts into new dunes of amorphous white. They had found this town later that day and soon afterwards had begun to develop their plan. Without silver or anything to trade, honest means weren't going to get them anywhere in supplying themselves again, and begging would only work for food which-while welcome-would not sustain them for long. Her idea had won out between the two of them. While Hiccup's plan of sneaking in under cover of darkness _appeared_ valid, it disregarded that most salesmen take their wares in for the evening and that stealth wasn't exactly his specialty. Instead, they going to do things in broad daylight, in plain view but still unseen.

She leaned up against the side of a building, the world showing her as little concern as she showed for it. The town street was rumbling with the wandering footsteps and incomprehensible words of the native people. Attempting to listen into this foreign tongue brought her nothing but confusion and the distant rumblings of a headache as she tried to make sense of it, to compare it to something familiar to her. It sounded like a distant cousin of Gaelic, but a cousin that had long since parted ways to seek his own fortune away from the affiliation of his family. It was a peculiar tongue, one that danced off the lips like a berserk warrior but struck the ears like a calming wave against tranquil shores, intimidating to see spoken but comforting to hear.

The merchants lined the street with stalls bearing every basic commodity conceivable. Asides from a few gemstones that Astrid was contemplating going for if she had the time, there was nothing overly exotic; just the basic wares and offerings that the North had to offer. Blankets and furs were laid out on wooden frames and were inspected by passersby who mostly refused buying such expensive items unless they had some kind of gold or other valuable to trade. Amber mixed with the more exotic wares, warranting such stalls receiving some extra frequent patrols by the nearby guards and just as many glances from would be thieves. Preserved meats and fruits were displayed openly and frequently purchased and traded for, selling fast and well in the chilling weather. Much like these townspeople who needed food and the basic utilities of life, necessities were the name of Astrid's game today, and it was a game she was twitching with excitement at even considering playing.

Hiccup had dropped her off near the town sometime after noon, where she had proceeded to make her way in without hassle and spent the last few hours surveying the wares and eyeing the nearby security, of which there was only a small detachment of lightly equipped townspeople slowly patrolling the streets with dagger or spear. She was to wait until he gave the signal, agreed to occur around dusk when the merchants would be packing up and their wares would be in disarray. Astrid idled patiently against the building, occasionally heading over to a nearby fire pit to warm up. The sky was bleeding into a pale orange, a ring of purple surrounding Astrid's world as she tapped her fingers against her arm, waiting for Hiccup and Toothless to kick off the show. She continued to survey the stalls, noticing a set of long knives that would suit both she and Hiccup perfectly, ideal for both basic tasks and fending off attackers. Just another thing to add to the list.

Above the clatter, above the din of babbling speech and stubborn bargaining there could be heard a feint, almost unnoticeable squeal, a shriek fitting more to primeval times than one of civilization. Astrid picked up on it quickly, knowing it all too well. After several more moments passed, it grew louder, the more attentive of the assembled peoples looking around them with a look of sudden terror. Astrid could have smiled at their reaction, knowing that it was time to begin. After a short period of increasing intensity the first desperate, fearful cries emerged.

_"__Cythraul__o__Tywyllwch__!"_

_"__Ewch__i lawr__!"_

An explosion could be felt hitting the ground near the outskirts of town. Astrid looked to where she'd heard the rumble of bursting fire to see a black smudge against the sky zip overhead before rapidly climbing back into the sky, preparing for another strike. It was time to get into action. The people all around her were screaming, diving into and out of houses depending on whether they thought that it was better to be in the open or not. Astrid remained leaning up against the wall that she had taken as her own these past few hours, paying the situation no heed.

Another piercing shriek tore through the sky; another violet explosion came up from the outskirts of town. In reality Toothless was aiming for the ground, hitting nothing but frozen dirt and mounds of snow. But so long as the town knew that a Night Fury was around and causing chaos, it was perfect justification to drop everything in favor of going to out to hunt an enemy as old as nature and existence itself.

_"Lladd ei!"_

_"__Amddiffyn y__dref__!"_

The nearby guards rushed towards to where Hiccup and Toothless were attacking the innocent ground, some civilians rushing for cover while others went to get weapons to join in the pursuit. Few merchants could do much to protect their wares, so stricken with fright and caught up in the bedlam of a town defense. After a few more minutes and several more explosions near the outskirts, the market place was clear, Astrid still not having moved from her spot as she watched the people clear out and go to their posts. The guards yelled into the sky as boy and dragon kept to an easily safe distance from even the most powerful of bows. She knew that he would lead them away as far as he could before they gave up, and after that she would be picked up at the other end of town, the night being their cover as they retreated back to the cave.

With the guards gone, the civilians cowering indoors and merchants abandoning their wares to fate and the elements the market was empty, still and devoid of life. With nobody around and a good while before any guard would dare to abandon the hunt to return, Astrid started with the basket seller and picked up a large wicker cylinder of a depth half her height. It would hold plenty, perfect for her task. She looked down the rows of vendors, stalls bursting with everything imaginable that they would need for a good long while. She smiled at the thought, of an easy bounty without work or effort. Her stomach pained her once more, reminding her to get on with the task at hand. Without further hesitation, she started her way down the stalls, devoid of protection or care. While the men were out hunting, the woman would gather.

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

"Gods this is delicious."

"I have good taste don't I?" Astrid tore off another piece of dried salmon, a salty but fulfilling protein that she'd managed to swipe plenty of in her quick spree of thievery. They had gotten away easily, Astrid making it to the other side of town without being spotted as the last brush strokes of color were erased from the sky and the townspeople continued their vain search for the phantom of darkness that had picked her up and brought her back to safety. A small fire was lit near the cave entrance, more so for light than heat. Toothless kept Hiccup warm with his general proximity, Astrid had stolen some heavy furs for both herself and Hiccup and wore her own proudly, sitting across from the boy and his dragon.

"There's no denying that."

_::How could it ever make sense to dry out all the delicious oils and blood from such an otherwise delectable creature? You humans do not understand the essence of true flavor.::_

"We dry it out so that we can save it for later Toothless, so that we don't have to go out hunting every day like _some_ creatures…" Toothless shrugged his head away from Astrid and got back to ripping apart the last remnants of a small deer he and Hiccup had captured and slaughtered earlier that day. While it had at first been a little unsettling to see the beast tearing apart game aggressively and without concern for the precision and technique a skilled butcher would use, both Astrid and Hiccup had gotten used to the sight by now despite its outwardly nauseating appearance.

"Mmh, you said you got some pastry for afterwards right?"

"Yep, some honey rolls right here, pretty fresh too." Astrid ripped off another piece of dried fish and leaned over to the pack where the rest of her haul was yet to be revealed, she and Hiccup going for the food right away in their state of hunger. "Let's see here…" She leaned the basket over and let its contents tumble out.

"Also got… I snagged a big blanket for us…" She pulled out a tightly folded woolen sheet, of a dark blue and light brown color that looked about as comfortable as a robe of pine needles. Warmth was its only discernible function. "And this rather awkward pillow." She had to tug several times at the cloth covering for the object to bust free from the pack, tightly stuffed in with a great deal of effort. Perhaps not the most practical thing to steal, but a desire for comfort is among the traits most unique to the human psyche.

She reached further in and pulled out a thin but well sized box, opening it up to reveal the pastries that were increasingly coming to take over Hiccup's mind as his primary concern for the moment. They looked and smelled delicious, nearly fresh indeed. She set the box aside and reached further into the bag and pulled out two knives, about the size of Hiccup's forearm up to the wrist and of a thick, nearly bulbous design with a blade that seemed to mimic the leaves of flowering plants. "Check these out."

"Oh…"

"Yeah, I figured one for each of us. Sounds fair right?"

"Sure." He was actually still somewhat intimidated at the thought of Astrid having her own weapon, knowing how aggressive and effective she could be with one. He wanted to trust her and most of him did, but deep within him was still the kind of boy that would flinch whenever she drew near, the kind of boy that was still the punching bag. He tried to suppress this part of himself, knowing he was being paranoid. This girl had called him her _friend_, something he'd wanted for so long. She was willing to risk her safety to get them these supplies. She'd been willing to sleep next to him again last night, hadn't fought him away when he'd lain an arm over her stomach and brought himself as close as he could to this body of warmth in cold winter darkness. He knew his fear was silly, but it was a kind of silliness he could not shake.

"These are…these are just some rags." She pulled out a few small pieces of cloth without color or decoration. "These are just for…uh…you know whatever."

"Like what?"

"Hiccup, they're for stuff. Leave it at that."

"Stuff like what?" He tore off another piece of dried fish, throwing out questions more for the sake of it than to think critically, not particularly interested in intensive thinking at this time.

"Hiccup…" Astrid's tone suddenly grew defensive and angrier, confusing the boy as to what kind of boundary he could have crossed to make her so upset. "Just forget about them, it's not important."

"Why-

_Oh…_

"_OH_…oh I…oh yeah you…yeah I'll just uh…good thing you got…wow… yeah I'll just shut up now." His face felt on fire, and he could see that Astrid was burning with embarrassment as well. He hadn't really considered that most feminine of issues much during their time together. Come to think about it, he hadn't really thought much of it all _ever_. It just wasn't a subject he enjoyed thinking about, but a now a very real one with Astrid always near him. He shied away and got back to his fish, trying to force some unpleasant images out of his head. Astrid got back to sorting through the basket after stuffing the rags back in with haste.

"Oh, and here we have some more dried meats…oh I got us this cheese here, figured it would last us a while." She pulled out a rather heavy looking and thick circle of cheese rind, colored a pale brown that disguised what was likely a rather delicious tasting product held within. She set it aside and dug further in, reaching towards the bottom of basket. "Ah! Yeah here it is! Check these out!" She withdrew several items that gave off a delicate and well tuned shine in the firelight. Hiccup couldn't make them out very well at first; they didn't seem anything like a useful tool or substance that he would have expected. Astrid placed them on the ground and began to sort through the pile, revealing to Hiccup the identity of these strange objects.

"Are those-"

"Emeralds!" There were few times Hiccup could actively recall Astrid actually squealing in happiness, so the high pitched noise that came out of her with that single word made him flinch a little at the surprising yelp. Toothless likewise redirected her attention towards her, shocked at the high-pitched exuberance.

_::What? This is important?::_

Astrid lifted the first of the piece of jewelry up towards both of them, a necklace with three small and well polished gems that hung down from a chain of gold. "Yeah it's important, isn't it pretty?" Hiccup really had no words to describe the sight before him, of Astrid the great warrior freaking out and being giddy over jewelry of all things. He'd never thought about her actually caring about something so vain, so feminine. Other girls liked to get their hands on exotic gems or amber or gold and silver, but Hiccup could never quite recall Astrid ever wearing anything of the kind.

_::Rocks and metal, this is considered pretty? Human tastes are strange in both food AND possession it seems.::_

"Oh what do you know? Hiccup? Do you like it?" She was back to a calm yet still cheerful disposition, asking a simple question that Hiccup never thought he'd have to answer. Astrid held the piece up to her neck, the jewels complimenting her rather nicely and the gold almost blending right in with her hair.

"Uh it's…well it's nice. Looks-looks good on you really." It felt strange complimenting Astrid directly on her looks. Sure he'd always thought her beautiful in the privacy of his mind, but he'd never actually had the courage to straight up tell her she looked pretty. Even in his greatest throes of affection and most determined attempts to win her favor he had always thought such an act as audacious as complimenting her was suicidal at best. Now though, she actually seemed pleased with his words, accepting them as truth.

"Oh thanks you. Dad never really let me wear anything too nice so I figured…well it was for the taking so why not indulge a little, eh?" She put the necklace down and pulled up a few more, mostly made of gold and amber along with a few simpler silver chains and rings. "Plus…I mean I'm probably not going to wear them all and yeah I know it's just going to get in the way of things so I figured if I stole a bunch we could trade them for other stuff as time goes by. You know?"

"Yeah that sounds…that sounds great."

"Mmh." Astrid hummed neutrally as she placed the precious things back into the basket, leaving out only the box of pastries. She took one for herself and pushed the box Hiccup's way, just in time for him to finish his fish and reach in for the biggest roll he could see.

_::They smell good, strange that you make your most appealing foods the ones with the least survival benefit.::_

"It's called _taste_ you uncultured reptile. Maybe you could try one and realize how appealing they really are?"

_::That would conflict with the palate, and confusing one taste with another would be unreasonable. How can I fully appreciate one taste if I am being distracted by another?::_

"Ugh, stubborn reptile. Thank you for nabbing these Astrid." Hiccup took the first bite, taste buds lighting up at the sweet sensation that he could never get enough of. He couldn't help smiling at the taste, so familiar and civilized and a catalyst to joyful remembrance.

"You're welcome, it was just as much a treat for you as it was for me." She gave him a smile as she dug in for her second bite, ripping the bread apart viciously and delighting in the sweet taste as much as he. "Oh…you always forget how much you love these things until you go a few weeks without them."

"Yeah." Hiccup tore off another piece as he settled back against Toothless, rubbing his back into the warm hide and arching his neck back to stretch it. Swallowing the last remnants of the sticky bread, his mind drifted back to other event where he'd enjoyed this taste. "Can't believe _Jul_ is almost over, sure flew by."

"Yes it did, but it always used to back on Berk didn't it?"

"Yeah I guess so. At least then though there was usually something to do. Remember the parties?"

"Ha! Oh gods those were great...oh man the memories." Astrid refrained from another bite to chuckle to herself, her own sweet memories of the ten-day celebrations rushing forward to her consciousness. "I mean…well before…before you became…"

"_Me?_"

"Yeah." Even at recalling less than pleasant events there was no sense of hardship or uneasiness between them. They smiled as though talking of more innocent things, less concerned about the past than they had previously been. "Oh but even then those were some great parties. Do you remember when Ingrid flipped out at Oswald for messing up the flute line?"

"Yes! Ahaha! Oh man that was great."

"Or when Snotlout and Tuffnut each believed they could crack a support beam with their faces and came out of it with broken noses!"

"Yes! Oh and they had headaches for a month afterwards! Oh that was classic!' Hiccup pushed himself back against Toothless, kicking his legs as his stomach undulated with waves of laughter. Maybe it was the sense of companionship, the satisfaction of a full stomach of easily stolen food or just the thought of better times back on Berk, but he felt a genuine sense of relaxation for the moment. Life seemed good, worthwhile.

"Oh come on what was your favorite time? I think I missed the one when I was…oh what was it…I think I was eight? Maybe it was nine. Something good must have happened then right?"

Hiccup had to cough to stop himself from choking on the sweet bread he had been so previously determined to swallow. Astrid eyed him curiously, thinking it odd that such a simple question should warrant such a reaction.

"What?"

"Oh! Nothing! No nothing its-its-yeah you were missing at the one where we were nine, you were there for number eight." Hiccup's fingers had quickly come to feel as though they were made of ice, hard and incapable of finer movement. Did he bring this up? She wouldn't get mad, he knew that? What was he so scared of?

"Figures you'd remember that. But what happened at nine then?"

"Oh well you know it really wasn't…that was actually a pretty quiet one really. Eight though, that was fun though…right?" He shied his head away, nervous even though he knew he shouldn't be. They'd talked about their feelings before-his particularly, why should now be any different?

"Why? What happened at eight?" Hiccup had wanted to laugh, had wanted Astrid to show the sense of jesting that he had hoped would follow such a remark. Instead he was only met with a blank, curious stare that demanded information. He wanted her to smile, wanted her to let him know that she knew what he was talking about and that all was still comfortable between them. Innocent eyes were all he found greeting him.

"You-you don't remember anything?"

"_Should_ I remember anything?" Her smile this time did not assuage Hiccup. He speculated that she must have thought they were playing a game, mimicking how the other had been that first morning they'd woken up outside of Ireland.

"Uh you know…you and Snotlout got into a big fight…there were some words said, some _things_ done? Remember?"

Astrid's eyes narrowed as she brought her chin to rest on her knuckles, humming to herself as she thought. "I-I'm trying…I think…"

"You…"

Astrid gave a quick shudder as the memory came crashing over the barrier of isolation and denial that it had so long hid behind. There was no word to describe her expression except ambiguous, so overtaken by this sudden recollection.

"Kissed…"

"_You…_" She looked up at him only to find a boy that was looking as though he were being strangled on the inside. "What-"

"You forgot didn't you?" He deadpanned, devoid of emotion and still in shock.

"No! No I…okay maybe I…well no I didn't _completely_ forget! I still remembered it didn't I? I-gods Hiccup I just haven't thought about that it in a long time is all. I mean I'm sure _you_ have but-but I just sort of didn't-haven't thought about that since-since gods it would have to have be shortly after it happened. Sorry I just…"

She trailed off as Hiccup rubbed his face down with a palm, anxious but not emotional. "I…just wasn't really _supposed_ to think about it. After everything that happened between us I-it's just something I didn't think about." She leaned forward, shoulders hunched over and regretful. "…I'm sorry. I do remember it now though." She leaned back again, starry eyed at considering a subject so long restrained. "Gods…wow yeah I did kiss you then didn't I? Ha…yeah Snotlout _was_ acting like a jerk and I…yeah I just gave you a good old smooch…hahaha."

A smile returned to Hiccup's face. The painful possibility that the one pivotal point in his life may have been forgotten to the other party was over, and while the thought of it left a bitter feeling in his thoughts, he couldn't stop the joy he felt now that Astrid was actually seeming to enjoy the memory.

"Yeah I'll be honest I…" She stopped, nervous but not angry at expressing her words. "Yeah I _kind_ _of_ had a crush on you back then. I mean nothing big…but…ha okay I thought you were kind of cute in that innocent kind of way. Plus you were able to work metal, which I thought was really cool. Still do actually."

It was Hiccup's turn to look embarrassed as his lips cracked into an appreciative grin, his face burning with a giddy happiness. "Oh…uh…I never-I never really knew that."

"Yeah, I kind of had to keep it a secret or else my dad would have lost his shit. And then of course when we grew apart I guess it kind of…stopped for a while." She laughed; the dark humor passing easily between the two of them.

"Mmh that was-that was sort of when I started to develop my own crush on you I guess. Of course mine didn't exactly go away over the years. Only got stronger really...the more I thought about that moment."

_::From what you have told me this seems to be the case.::_

"Yeah! How about we don't really talk much about what we've talked about ourselves eh Toothless? Please?" The dragon conceded and growled lowly to itself whilst settling into the cave floor to sleep.

"Ha! Yeah I don't think either of us want to go over those details right now Toothless, you just keep those to yourself." Astrid leaned forward, giving a Hiccup that look of _'I know exactly what you two talked about but won't complain for now'_.

_::I wish I did not have to, they are of a quality I would not like to keep alongside my greater intellect for much longer.::_

"Mmh." Astrid rolled her eyes as she finished the last of her honey roll, leaning forward again as she swallowed. "So then here we are I guess…eight years and two _Jul's_ later and I've still got to kiss you to make a point."

"Ha…yeah." Exhaling, Hiccup mustered his courage. They were already so comfortable with each other; it was worth an attempt at least. "You can…I mean you can always kiss me…because-because you enjoy it…maybe?" He winced at his own words, shouting at himself within his mind. _Idiot, you're in for it now._ He was instead delighted yet intrigued to find Astrid simply staring him down, not so much in a threatening manner but with a posture to hint at a deeper contemplation. "What I mean-"

"No-"

"Okay.

"No. Kiss _me._"

Hiccup had to blink a few times to process the request, not one that he had exactly been sure he'd ever hear in his life. "Wh-"

"Well? I now know that you've had a crush on me ever since eight years ago now, and so far the kiss count is two-zero. _You_ like me, so why don't _you…_" She pointed a finger at him playfully. "…kiss _me_?"

She made a mocking pucker with her lips as the boy sat flabbergasted. He wanted to act, oh so dearly wanted to take this opportunity. But much like his first attempt at physical training when he was nine, reality seemed much more intimidating than fantastical ideas. Was this a trap, did he dare proceed? His body felt cold with fear but hot with anticipation. His heart and mind confused with how a scenario like this was supposed to go down.

"Well?" She waited patiently, showing no combativeness but a willingness to see where things went. Throwing caution and his sanity to the wind, Hiccup leaned forward, getting on his hands and knees and crawling forward, one appendage at a time towards a strange instance so long desired but terrifying now that it was upon him. He was within a breath's distance of her, head aligned with her chest as he stared up at her, looking down upon him anxiously, the slightest bit of apprehension showing on her face to mimic his own. He reached up slowly, his chest feeling tense at the moment, as though the air had suddenly turned into water, that he was drowning on the experience of life itself yet loving every confusing, impassioned moment of it. She turned her head, giving him her cheek on which to perform the appointed task. Cowering and stricken with the panic of inexperience at the last moment, his peck was quick and direct, not overly long but not overly short, enough to show he had meant it while not meaning anything more. He stumbled back towards Toothless' side, trying to catch a breath he had not lost, Astrid trying to hold back an innocent smile.

"…well, not as bad as I thought it would be, I guess you'll learn."

"Learn?"

"Well…" Astrid reached over for the box of honey rolls, pulling out another and pushing the box back to Hiccup. "I'm not going to deny it was nice_._" She grinned as she bit down the bread, eyes _almost_ seductive, but in an enticing, anticipatory way. Hiccup reached into the box and with racing pulse pulled out his second pastry.

"…I guess I feel the same way. Can't-can't wait to learn then."

"You can and you will, but I think I could handle a few more lessons soon enough." She raised her pastry into the air as if performing a toast, giving libation to the night and to her company. "Happy _Jul_ Hiccup."

He did the same, joining her in mutual praise and riding high on a wave of pleasure that he was finally free to show. He actually just kissed Astrid. This was no longer a dream, no longer a wish, no longer a dark area of his memory lost to alcohol. This was real, an action of his own doing and her own allowance. Two equals, two friends at _Jul_ once more, giving kisses of thanks and wishes of good fortune, for a future that looked brighter even in the winter's darkness.

"Happy _Jul_ Astrid."


	11. Bitter Memories

Winter's chill had momentarily abated for the time being; the sky was clear and the sun as strong as it could be in the dawning days of a new year. The snow of a previous, light storm was melting beneath Hiccup's feet, turning into a slick, wet mess of slush and dry grass that was just peeping up from beneath the smothering layer of white that had coated it for the past several days. Were it a little warmer, the boy would have considered loosening the tight grip his short, fur lined cape held over his shoulders. The people of this mountainous land that he, Astrid and Toothless had called home the past few weeks were admittedly skilled when it came to clothing, making the thought of going in for a second spree of thievery increasingly tempting as the days passed.

He leaned against a large rock that had long ago made its home in an open field high in one the many mountains this land had to offer. The field would most certainly have served as some kind of pastureland in the spring and summer months. Digging around in the slush with the tip of his boot, Hiccup could see the dead remains of wildflowers trapped beneath the layer of ice that barred his foot from digging into the dirt below.

Looking back into the sky he could see a dark smudge against the azure dome that surrounded him rapidly approaching, returning at long last after what he hadn't expected to take so long. After learning that Toothless had taught Astrid how to use the foot pedal system in the escape from Ireland, Hiccup had been insistent that she practice more with it. Now that she was here permanently, now that they together until gods knew when it only seemed reasonable and fair that she learn how to best use it, to commit the positions to memory and to experiment with any number of maneuvers with the dragon. She and Hiccup had been taking turns every other day, spending much of the available sunlight practicing flight maneuvers solo and enjoying air time with Toothless. The dragon had been very pleased to do such an amount of flying with only one person at a time, commenting on how much easier it felt having endured two people at a time. Hiccup was prepared to start two person maneuvers soon though, keeping it a secret until the day they would start just so he could see the reaction on the dragon's face.

Maybe at some point, perhaps when the weather got warmer they would work more on night flights. For now it was simply too frigid in the shroud of darkness to do much except be miserable when soaring alongside the stars. It saddened Hiccup that this type of flying was being denied to him by cold weather, the few times he and Astrid had been up in the air during the darkness were of an entirely different caliber of joyful. The two of them gliding along with the dark wings below them under the watch of the stars, burning in the distant darkness like a volley of flaming arrows that refused to fall. On the ground, the night was a time to fear and to hunker down for want of safety. In the air, the night represented freedom, a capacity to travel unseen and amidst the glory of the heavens.

He'd once asked Toothless if it was possible to reach the stars, if they could be plucked from the sky like apples off a tree. The dragon had responded that he had tried many times, but the limits of his body prevented him from getting close enough. Hiccup had then inquired if the dragon had ever touched the great colored rivers that would sometimes flow in the sky. Once again the dragon had to disappoint the boy by saying that such things were beyond even his reach-a rare moment of humility for the creature. Regardless, Hiccup was looking forward to the next chance they would have to fly at night. He and Astrid would still be so far away from these wonders, but given the best possible view they could. He just wanted to fly towards the colored rivers with Astrid hanging on to him, to soar towards the stars and always fall short. Far away but close to Astrid, it was all that really mattered in the end to him anyways.

The shadow continued to approach, a beautiful girl with blond hair visible atop it as the creature quickly descended, swooping down to a landing in front of Hiccup and settling down into the slush with a thud.

_::You still need to work on-::_

"Yeah, yeah I know! Switch to neutral position when just before landing! I messed up again alright?" Astrid snarled to the dragon as she dismounted, foot slipping out from under her as she hopped down with aggression. A quick hand on Toothless' neck saved her from a true fall, but the dragon only willed to support her for a brief moment before grunting away.

_::It is one matter to be deficient at a certain task, it is quite another to take out a frustration at such circumstances at me.::_

Hiccup pushed from his lean against the rock and began to approach Astrid cautiously, worrisome to her apparent temper and knowing full well the potential repercussions of approaching her in such a state. "Astrid…you alright?"

She turned away from him, arms crossed and quiet. Trying to look into the distance so as to display apathy would not work on Hiccup, he'd done it far too much back when other kids would call him names to not recognize the obvious maneuver. "Astrid what's wrong? Did something happen?"

_::Nothing of any serious consequence occurred that I can think of as being important.::_

"It's-it's nothing." She spoke up quickly, clearly not having wanted to. Hiccup knew it had to be something that was bothering her, so he continued in his interest. He took a few more steps forward, still beyond the reach of her arms in case she snapped but close enough to demonstrate that he was concerned. She slowly started to pivot on her heels towards him, apprehensive about talking but not so much that the option was not available.

"I-I've been at this for a couple of weeks now right? It's not _that_ hard! There are only what…six positions to learn? And I'm still making mistakes and I hate it!" Her voice grew in intensity as her arms dropped to her side in anger, fist clenched in a controlled rage. "Why is this taking so long?"

Hiccup was beginning to feel the outside cold piercing into his body, yet this chill was instead coming from the inside, a piercing frost of fear that made him hesitant to answer. Astrid had been mostly comfortable and neutral these past few weeks, not too aggressive over any specific matter-not that there were many things she had to be upset about. The old boy inside him knew that an angry Astrid was one prone to violence, but recent events had shown that she was becoming less so, at least around him. This was the girl he wrapped himself around or vice versa every night before falling asleep and the same one that had on a few more occasions given or allowed quick kisses on the cheek as reward for a good hunt or as a simple sign of friendship. These two perceptions of her were colliding into a quagmire of indecisive thought that left him cautious in addressing the issue, but not willing to totally avoid it.

"It's-It's just…how do I get as good as you? I mean yeah you've had longer to practice but-"

"Wait wait! What do you mean _good as me?_ At flying?"

"Uh yeah? What did you think?" Hiccup wasn't particularly sure what to think. He had been wise to suspect she was angry at her mistakes. But he couldn't see the reason for it. Was she being jealous? Envious? Of him? What had he done to possibly cause such emotions, not that they weren't a guilty pleasure to feel. To be envied meant that he had a skill that was all his own, an attribute to be appreciated.

"Uh…well I-I guess I don't really get why you're upset. It took me the better part of a month in total secrecy to figure out how to work together with Toothless properly. We were only just getting into some more difficult maneuvers when…well when it came time to kind of _leave._ You're learning at right about the pace I learned at and you've been getting better every day! Thor's goat you got us all the way out of Ireland on your first try and that was at night!" He took another step forward, now within striking distance but not fearing such a thing; Astrid looked more disappointed now than angry and certainly in no mood to be aggressive. "Astrid, what's wrong?"

She took a long breath, stalling to contemplate her response. "This-this isn't _supposed_ to take so long is it? It's six damn positions controlled by one freaking switch! I should have this down by now! I should have had this down a week ago! I should-I should-I shouldn't still be stuck on this! So why am I?!" She was still angry on the interior and it showed though her tone.

"Hey…Astrid it's alright, you'll get it eventually…" Hiccup really wasn't sure what else to say in a situation such as this. He knew that it was in his best interests to console her, but what exactly needed consoling was still a matter of debate to him. Why was she so upset by this? "You're doing just as well as me Astrid. Pretty soon I think we'll be about the same."

This final phrase seemed to strike Astrid in an awkward way that once more made Hiccup cautious as to what she might do. Still, she kept reserved and maintained some kind of a manner of decorum about her as she explained herself. "Maybe-maybe that's just it."

"You…you _don't_ want to be as good as me?"

"No! No that's exactly it! No I _do_ want to be just as good as you, it's the fact…" In her frantic and tumbling sequence of thoughts Astrid came to her own conclusions, a revelation that flashed across the front of her mind and off her tongue before her more prideful self could once more subdue it. "It's that…well back on Berk everything-everything was just…it came naturally you know? How to swing an axe, how to use a bow, how to survive in the woods, how to take care of yourself alone, all that stuff was just so…made for me I guess? It was all like what I was supposed to do when I grew up. This-this is just so different from all that and yet I feel like it _should_ come naturally to me. But it doesn't, and that's what has me so damn angry! It's so simple and yet I can't get it right!"

She stomped a foot down into the slush in an effort to get out her lingering anger. Hiccup let her settle a minute, not wanting to do anything to further upset her. When he had judged her demeanor to be calm enough, he spoke up again.

"Alright well…Astrid you don't have to think of this as a competition or anything. You said this is different right? Well maybe it just takes some more time to learn how to do something different compared to everything we were supposed to do back on Berk. Odin knows my first few attempts at flying with Toothless were a little…well they weren't exactly pretty let's say that."

_::I have and I will continue to do so.::_

"I know you will bud." "Anyways Astrid you just-you just have to relax about this. I don't care how well you do, and neither should you. I'm not judging you for how well you master the tail wing and it's not like there is any great reward for when you do so-so just take it easy alright?"

Astrid raised her head to face him directly, now better consoled and willing to abandon anger for the sake of companionship. "I just-was just so used to mastering everything as quick as I could. Guess I-guess I just figured I'd keep up with that mindset while I was out here, like a fool."

"Hey…no Astrid you're not a fool, come on." Hiccup was within a breath's distance, discarding his previous fears now that he knew the situation could be handled peacefully. "You're not a fool Astrid. You're just…conditioned to do things a certain way. There's nothing wrong with that, at least I don't see any. But that doesn't mean you have to be so hard on yourself when it takes a little longer to do something. I'm not judging you for it, so relax alright?"

Her expression began to change, not quite breaking into a smile but the tension on her lips and cheeks was now totally fading and her face was now softer, more at ease and seeking comfort."I-I-"

"You'll relax about this? Please? I don't like seeing you like this." This little mark of concern was enough to force the smallest of smiles on her face.

"Fine. But I _will_ get better you know."

"Oh I'm sure of it."

"Maybe even get better than you…"

"Oh I…let's wait and see shall we?" She rolled her eyes at him as he made a half humorous scoff at her assertion. They stood facing each other in the light breeze that swept over the mountainside, filled with winter's cold but too weak to cause discomfort. Hiccup stood idle, unsure on what to proceed with next after this settling of violent emotions. Astrid instead took the lead and inched closer, arms coming around her sides and flanking Hiccup. She took half a step forward and pulled him in, arms hooking around to his backside and drawing the two together as she nestled her head on his shoulder, cheek rubbing against his clavicle.

"I…th-thank you." She squeezed tighter, putting a mild stress on Hiccup's chest but not one he was going to protest. A hug from Astrid was always welcome even if coming at strange times. He let the embrace go on, wishing it could last for an eternity as he tentatively laced his own arms around her, finding a good place for his head in the nape of her neck where he could smell her hair, similar to the rest of her body with a strong, vaguely sweet aroma that was enough to cover up the fact that neither of them had bathed in weeks. He specifically had not even taken one since leaving Berk. He made a note to himself to do that eventually once the weather permitted or they could find some hot springs. He hoped he didn't smell too bad for her as they kept each other close; he hadn't stopped to consider the possibility much.

"Uh…you're welcome." He mumbled into her ear, hidden beneath sunshine locks, increasingly thick with an accumulation of oil but no less beautiful. If anything, the grease made it shine brighter, increasing its luster and brilliance even if the substance associated with it would be taken as a lack of cleanliness. Hygiene was just unfortunately one of the many casualties of a free life.

After a little while longer and a final squeeze on Astrid's part the two broke away, regretful the moment had to end but allowing such a pity to occur. "So… guess we might as well head back to the cave then, going to get pretty cold soon."

"I guess so. What do you say Toothless?"

_::I believe that…that…::_ The dragon's attention was town away and to the sky where it looked with a cautious gaze, ears pricked up and sensitive to the slightest sounds. Both Hiccup and Astrid looked towards the azure horizons, trying to see what had the dragon's attention.

"T-Toothless? What is it?"

_::It appears that while up in the air Astrid and I attracted some company, and that said company is now coming to meet us. Prepare yourselves…here she comes.::_ Toothless redirected his attention towards the tree line far down towards the end of the pasture, from beyond which came the first cries and shrieks audible to the human ears. After a moment of cautious waiting both Hiccup and Astrid drew worried expressions at recognizing the peculiar moans and shrieks of the Deadly Nadder. The dragon swept over the pines quickly, just narrowly dodging the tips of the tress as it swooped in close to them, but not without Toothless establishing a temporary boundary with a roar strong enough to send the nearby birds running for more distant and safer perches.

_::Ah a scale thrower, it had been a while since I have made the acquaintance of one. Quite the rather vain and stuck up assortment, daring to think themselves superior to creatures such as myself, who are undoubtedly the most superior.::_

The dragon wore a coat of green scales mixed with those of a pale brown, an ideal sort of camouflage for a mountainous and forested terrain. It stomped its talon into the slush several times and jerked its head back and forth, taking a few aggressive steps forward before a calculated lunge by Toothless kept it at a safe distance. Astrid reached under her furs to find her knife and quickly unsheathed it, bringing the leaf shaped blade to bear and gripping it tightly in her hand. To Hiccup she appeared to have been sucked into some sudden trance, as if suddenly provoked by an unconscious will to the violence so typical back on Berk.

"Whoa whoa Astrid wait!" She stood still but did not turn to address Hiccup, only letting him the time to speak a moment while she turned the knife over to different grips, testing each one. The dragon squawked a few times at the sight of the steel and continued to show aggression.

_::The insolent creature means to tell me that we have trespassed on its hunting grounds and demands we vacate immediately! As if such an inferior breed dares to tell me any food is off limits; the poorly designed degenerate!::_

"Whoa okay can we all just hold on a gods damned second here? Let's try not resorting to name calling and killing at the first chance we get alright? Let's just…calm down and try to take it easy maybe?" Astrid was still paying him no heed and stared the creature down with a new and vigorous bloodlust, holding back but for how much longer Hiccup could not tell. He walked forward slowly, arm extended towards the dragon that bowed its head and raised its tail at the approaching human.

_::Hiccup?! What are you doing?! That is an inferior breed that is incapable of reason!::_

"I'm trying to stop this from turning ugly alright? Just tell it that none of us mean it any harm, that we didn't mean to impede on its hunting grounds."

_::Once again when in a life or death situation you resort to talking…why should I even be surprised at this point? Very well. You! Degenerate, poorly built and infinitely unreasonable embodiment of vainglory! Cease your aggression and allow the boy to approach, he does not mean harm and is quite inept at using any kind of weapon anyways. You are safe.::_

"Yeah…thanks Toothless, _really_ helping here."

_::I am addressing the situation as it honestly is am I not? Is this not what you wanted? She is allowing you closer so I clearly had my intended effect, what is the problem?::_

"…freaking over analytical as ever…alright take it easy girl I won't hurt you." He continued to step closer, the Nadder allowing him to close the distance and even taking a step forward to aid the process.

"Hiccup…"

"It's alright Astrid I've got this." The Nadder stalled in front of him, lowering its snout and allowing Hiccup to lay a hand on it, Toothless coordinating the wild beast through the steps with audible growls and messages sent to the other dragon's mind that mixed derision with demands.

_::She says that she has never had a human hand on her before, and that you smell rather delicious in the innocent sort of way as one tells their kin. I have told her that we were unaware these were her hunting grounds and that she will leave us in peace provided we do not use this area for our food any longer.::_

"Good…I guess. Means one less thing to worry about right Astrid?" He turned his attention back to the girl that still held her knife firmly in hand, eyes filled with a primeval rage that tended to only be seen in the thick of serious battle. "Astrid?"

"Hiccup…do you know what that is?"

"Astrid just because she's a bit wilder than Toothless doesn't mean she can't be made friendly, what are you so scared of? She's hardly any different than Toothless."

_::I would like to disagree with you on this point.::_

"Yeah I know you would but not now bud." "Astrid, come on look she's friendly looking isn't she? Who knows you might like her. Why are you being so aggressive?"

Her death glare returned, this time filled with a true and genuine rage, a deep and un-abating lust for blood no matter the cost. "Hiccup…_that_ is a _Deadly Nadder_. Do you know what they do? What they've _done_?"

"What? Yeah they're dragons but what's wrong with that? They won't hurt you if they're not attacked. You want to touch her?"

"Hiccup…really?" She was nodding her head in a fury, indignant that the boy she'd just embraced could act this way.

A moment of deeper thought brought Hiccup to a guilty conclusion he was mental whipping himself for not recalling in the first place. "Shit! Oh-oh-oh oh gods oh…yeesh I…oh gods damnit I'm an idiot yeah I…oh man." He withdrew his hand from the dragon and sheepishly withdrew, the Nadder tilting its head at the sudden and rather strange actions of the humans.

_::Most horribly basic one whose self obsession knows no bounds, I believe now would be an appropriate time for you to depart as the humans have their own rather strange business to conduct. Leave us be and we shall the same for you.::_ Toothless gave a final growl to the creature and so it spread its wings, kicking up a fierce wind to blow past the three others as it departed back towards the tree line. Astrid kept her scowl on but sheathed her knife, sign enough for Hiccup to begin his river of apologies.

"Gods Astrid I am so, _so_ sorry! Damn I just wasn't thinking and I thought that-thought that it was just like…oh come on yeah I _really_ messed up here but please just…" She turned away from him, body stiff with fury and clearly not wanting hear any of what he had to profess. Hiccup had to accept this and would gladly do so; he could feel his entire body burning up with a guilty embarrassment at being so thick skulled at times like this. How could he have been so insensitive?

The dragon gave a few more echoes of screams as it soared beyond a meaningful distance, leaving Hiccup and Astrid at odds and Toothless indifferent. The girl stood before him back turned and silent, Hiccup knew that while a physical outburst before would have been rare, he really had to watch himself this time. "Astrid _please_! I'm sorry I just…I wasn't thinking and it didn't occur that you-you might have some hostility considering…well I mean _that_."

Hiccup stopped himself for further rambling, cautious that he may have seriously messed up this time. A tense pause fell between the two before Astrid opened her mouth, voice trembling with a barely controlled anger that set Hiccup on edge. "My father…he came in that night covered in blood. Do you know what's it's like to see your dad covered in your mom's blood? Huh?!"

She turned quickly to face him, filled with so much rage that Hiccup instinctively took a few steps back for his own protection. "I-I-I had to go and see the body afterwards-what was left of it. You know what my father did afterwards? Every single raid he'd single out the Nadders and cut their wings so he could draw out their deaths as long as possible! He-He!" Her lip began to tremble and her nose twitch and contort as she tried to fight down a sallying wave of emotion riding up from her core. "Every day we'd train we would picture the target as those Nadders that tore her apart! They're-they ripped her from every arm and every leg and we-and I have to live with that every day! They're _not_ harmless Hiccup! They-" At sensing herself about to buckle under her own interior pain and appear weak she turned her back to him again, seething with a fury that had remained persistent with her for so long that any disturbance to this constant stimulus of misery was prone to send her into total distress.

Hiccup could feel his legs demanding to give out from beneath him, for him to curl into a ball in the ground and to punish himself for causing Astrid so much pain just because he had been so idealistic to think that something like this would be easy for her. He hated himself for neglecting to remember this moment in her life right away, for not having enough sense to be more sensitive to it. Throat dry and fingers cold with fear and guilt he approached again, armed with only his own misery and a vain hope of reconciliation.

"Astrid I-I'm sorry! Please I just wasn't thinking, it's not that I was trying to be rude or anything! I-I guess I sort of know-"

She turned back towards him, furious that he was trying to equate himself to her but still persisting. "I mean I never even knew my mom, she got taken away back when I was just a baby and I've had to suspect she's dead ever since I can remember. Yeah I can't really say I know _exactly_ what you've gone through but…Astrid it's okay to be angry with me just-just please forgive me for being an idiot. Please?" His voice squeaked on his last word, fraught with anxiety and guilt. He would mentally whip himself some more later for his ignorance but for now all he cared about was forgiveness.

Her expression was softening, the warrior within her stuffing back her more vulnerable emotions again as she took a deep breath to relax herself. Her eyes became heavy with her own guilt at snapping at him, even if they weren't fully repentant at letting out some justified rage. "Right…I guess there is that I-I just got angry because…well it's not exactly the easiest thing to forget Hiccup. Yeah you never even knew your mother but I did know mine. I've still got a few nice memories of her and-and that's usually what propelled me to train so hard, because I'm angry that I can't have any more of those memories. It's hard for me Hiccup. I know it may not look like it at times…but I miss her. I miss her a lot. So when you started acting all calm and playful around that one I just-I just…something in me just sort of snapped and I got angry because I thought you were mocking my pain.

"No! No…Astrid. Why would I ever do that?"

"I don't think you ever would, it's just what I was thinking. I was…I guess I was being a little stupid too. I'm sorry."

"That-that's alright Astrid. I mean hey I guess we're even now right?"

"Mmh?"

"We've both sort of forgotten things about the other's past, guess that makes us even right?"

She raised an eyebrow half in a concession to his true statement but also to say_ 'you've really got a set of balls to dare equate those two things, but I'll let it slide for now.'_

"True, I guess."

"So…" He approached her again, seeing that the rage had subsided and amends had been made. "Do you-do we need another hug?"

Astrid rolled her eyes with a scoff, giving Hiccup a playful yet vaguely derisive smile at his recommendation. "Why don't we head back to the cave first? You can hug me on the flight back."

"Mmh? Wait, you're flying?"

"Of course." She smirked as she walked towards Toothless, who had watched the ordeal between the two humans with only a little curiosity, not caring much for their problems but worried that the interaction between them may have become violent. She spun her hair as she looked back to him, once more the confident young warrior eager to perfect her new skill. "I've got to keep practicing now don't I?"

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

"I'm not complaining I'm just saying it's not as good as others I've had."

"Oh so suddenly you're a cheese expert is it?"

Astrid scoffed at Hiccup as the two of them made their way through the last of a cheese wheel Astrid had swindled from another nearby town the previous day. They were taking turns going between all the neighboring towns and stealing away smaller things. The spectacle of their first effort was not necessary now that big things like garments and bulkier supplies were in their possession. Instead they practiced their stealth and thieving abilities on particular vendors selling whatever they needed. One of them-usually Hiccup since even to a stranger he appeared accident-prone-would create a scene by knocking over some boxes or frightening a nearby animal, distracting the vendor long enough for the desired item to be hidden under Astrid's fur and carried away to safety.

"Not exactly an expert but I do think I have a good palate when it comes to stuff like this."

"Since when?"

"…since…well…"

"You're just bullshitting me aren't you?"

"Pretty much." He gave her a smile as he downed his last piece of the pale yellow protein, pushing it to the corner of his mouth and enjoying the creamy taste, even if he was still convinced that he'd had far better in the past.

_::You utilize this term 'bullshit' a lot. May I assume that it is because such a thing does not have a very positive position in human society?::_ Toothless was curled close to the small fire at the front of the cave, off to the side so as not to impede its light but close enough that he was the greatest beneficiary of its meager warmth.

Astrid chuckled as Hiccup struggled not to choke on the cheese at the sudden statement, said with such a droll and nonchalant attitude that it only served to become more humorous than it already was. "Yes Toothless, bullshit is right at the bottom of human society."

_::Why?::_

"Well-well because it's the shit of a bull, you can't get much more worthless than that can you?"

_::But what does this term 'shit' apply to? I cannot understand the implication until I understand the term.::_

Hiccup was by this point hunched over, his cheese hastily swallowed to give him the air and ability to continue laughing with a nasal whine. Astrid and Toothless paid him no mind as they continued. "You know? Shit? As in like…dung? Feces?"

_::So then allow me to understand this…the 'shit' of the bull is considered such a terrible thing among people that to refer to it is meant as an indication of low worth or of some kind of other negative attribute?::_

"Pretty much." She answered, tearing into her own last piece of cheese with a satisfied grin.

_::Fascinating, and yet Hiccup shows no apprehension when accused of performing the verbal equivalent of this term. Is this a part of the complicated relationship that I understand still exists between you two?::_

Hiccup righted himself as his laughing subsided, looking to Astrid for guidance. However the two of them related to one another was indeed always an issue between them, but neither could find the will within the other to talk about it right now.

"No Toothless…it's just a joke, nothing more meant by it, right Hiccup?"

"Correct! Just a joke, although I suppose-"

"No. You don't suppose anything. It was joke, alright?"

"Right! Just a joke then." He looked away sheepishly, trying to figure out what he would have said even if Astrid hadn't cut him off. He'd thought he had something humorous to say, some anecdote about their past to lighten the mood. Instead he only had a blank mind, so frazzled by the events of the day that he was not in much of a thinking mood.

Astrid sighed and leaned back against the opposite side of the cave, trying to stretch out a part of her back she insisted was hurting ever since the earlier flights that day. Hiccup had almost considered offering to rub it for her, but the fact that the soreness was very low on her back-just near the base of her spine-led to him cowering out at the last possible moment, not that he wasn't thinking about it while she was turned away.

"Speaking of negative attributes, you really seemed to be going at it with that Nadder today. Any particular reason?" She grunted as she slowly corrected her posture, relaxing her muscles back against the wall and still trying to stretch away the misery.

_::Hardly. They are just of an inferior pedigree to me. It is the role of the superior to keep the inferiors in line, to remind them of their place so that they do not think themselves in a station beyond that which they are given. Such is the reasonable way.::_

Astrid rolled her eyes, considering this more of the dragon's narcissism at play. "Yeah? Because you're what? Top of the list then? King of the dragons?"

Hiccup sat up, suddenly attentive to the conversation. "Well…no. Right bud?"

_::Yes. You see Astrid that I have told Hiccup something about my kind; I suppose it fitting you should know something as well.::_

Astrid shrugged and drew her legs in close, wrapping her arms over her knees and resembling a younger child listening to a parents story of glory and splendor of times long past. She was genuinely interested. Until the escape from Ireland her relationship to Toothless had been barely functioning and nearly antagonistic. During these recent weeks in Wales, the two had grown a little closer, the dragon having accepted that she was staying around and no longer so bemoaning at flying with the two of them. Because of this mutual animosity she had had little interest in speaking with the dragon, little interest in learning from a creature that constantly put her down. Now though there came the opportunity to explore a different view of things, and if Hiccup's testimony was any indication it was certainly going to be an interesting one.

_::Kinds like the one we encountered today are what my kind refers to one of the 'lower ones', creatures without the capacity that I would have to communicate with you as they lack the intellect to do so. Nearly all dragons are of this disposition. They live only to live, to go about the many faculties of existence without care for knowledge or wisdom.::_

"And that's where you come in?"

_::To a certain extent yes. You see while most other dragons are of this inferior state of mind and manner, there are some above this. There are the great four-winged ones who would-actually, allow me to start at the beginning instead. This would be easier I believe.::_

"Beginning?" Hiccup asked, prompting a curious look from Astrid.

"What? You don't already know all this?'

"Well…I mean Toothless only told me about the fact that he could communicate with me and others can't. I just assumed it was because he was special because…well he's a Night Fury."

_::Not that my kind are not special but that is not all of the nature of dragons I have to tell you.::_

"And you didn't think it alright to tell me this back when it was just the two of us?" There was a mild degree of frustration in Hiccup's voice, a genuine sense of betrayal at being denied information that would have so much interested him.

_::I did not find it necessary to share such details with you at that time. It would have only confused you and I feared would have made our growing friendship more difficult if you knew so much. Now that we have come this far together, I have no problem in revealing more to you.::_

"Are you saying you didn't trust me?" The frustration in Hiccup's voice grew, concerning Astrid that things may get more violent than she would have liked considering the already stressful day they had all endured.

_::I was…worrisome at the time for reasons I may or may not get into later. I do not quite understand why this upsets you so. All that matters is that I trust you now, yes?::_

"Oh don't you try using logic to get out of this one Toothless! I mean…well I guess I thought we had already gotten so close at that time that you would have told me everything."

_::Please do not think this an insult Hiccup. This was more for my own comfort and security than for your own. It was an unwillingness on my part to disclose information that may have impeded our process of bonding. I in no way intended to…'bullshit' you? Am I using this phrase correctly Astrid?::_

"Kind of, but can we just leave this where it is and get back to the story please? You two can have your little bitch drama some other time, how about that?"

_::Bitch drama? This would imply dramatic things occurring to bitches. Is that supposed to label the two of-::_

"Toothless! Story! Now!" Astrid asserted herself, raising her voice to a level she would have preferred to save for another time. Toothless lowered his head a moment and closed his eyes in a passive frustration before complying with the demand. Hiccup sat attentive, still pouting at being betrayed-at least in his mind.

_::Very well. Where to begin….ah! I suppose it fitting that you would wish to know…let me think about this…::_

"Gods you really don't know how to tell a story do you? Alright I guess I have to pry this information out of you with questions don't I?"

_::I believe that would be easier yes.::_

"Alright…you've told us that you are at least a thousand years old right? How do you keep track of time to know that? Do all dragons live as long as you?"

Toothless righted his head and looked between the two humans briefly before answering.

_::Dragons calculate the passage of life by the longest sun cycle of the year, the time most difficult for us since the darkness is our friend-for my kind especially. And no! Ha! No all other kinds wished they were as blessed as mine for our capacity to live…so long as we take the opportunity of course.::_

"What? Opportunity? What opportunity? How do you have an _opportunity_ to live for so long?" Hiccup was back into the conversation, shelving his frustration and showing a renewed interest into dragon kind now that this particular opportunity was right in front of him.

_::It is because my kind is so blessed with our tendency to logic that we follow the true logic of existence. Allow me to explain this. All species, including my own age at different but normal rates when compared to other living things. Ones of my kind age at a rate fairly similar to you humans. But there is a difference granted to us by the Moon Goddess in all her infinite wisdom. When it comes time that we have reached the full maturity to reproduce and our light blue scales of youth have darkened into the ones you see now, our bodies grant us a choice. If we so desire, we may seek a mate and have offspring and so continue to age at the same rate as we raise our kin. Most however tend to take for any amount of time the second option, which is not to have kin. Should this not occur, we no longer age as fast as the others, and the process slows to a point that-at least we were told-that we may in fact outlive you humans with a single lifetime.::_

Astrid and Hiccup stared at the dragon a moment, trying to process the profound statement said with such little care or sense of pride, as though it were just some passing information that had little importance. To the dragon, perhaps it did, but not to the humans who had to absorb this monumental proclamation

"Wh-wh-what? So you-you-"

_::It is near to immortality if it helps you to put it in such a way. That is not to say that we are not invincible, we can still be killed by external forces, it just takes the procession of time much longer to do the job that it would otherwise perform.::_

"Wait, so why is that logical? Where's the reason in that?" Astrid spoke up, determined to find a viable justification for this luxury that would forever evade man that now sat in front of her, flaunting his privilege like it was no big deal.

_::You see Astrid, the point of all creatures that seek mates to reproduce is simply that, to reproduce. That is the goal in life. Until you have reached that goal, what is the point in dying? You are still to perform the action you have been made to perform, so dying before then is a waste, illogical. Being as intelligent as we are we are blessed with our very bodies being given the gift of reason, permitting us to live nearly as long as we could ever desire until we finally decide that offspring are necessary.::_

"Necessary for what? If you're so logical then there must be a reason to reproduce besides just having more of you right? After all, where would be the logic in reproducing without any purpose?"

_::And this is a good way for me to explain the past to you, an excellent question Hiccup. You see since a time before I was brought into existence all dragons-in this general area at least-were organized into a single great nest. It was in this area of seclusion-found in mountains well to the south of here-that all dragons were based, where they would breed and seek protection and shelter when the outside world became too hostile towards them. In this nest there resided our kings, the high lords of all dragons, massive creatures that had made their abode in the massive underwater caverns within these mountains and who bestowed upon all other species knowledge, guidance and protection. They were so wise, so intelligent that they are capable of controlling all of the lesser species using only their mind, should they wish the opportunity.::_

"Did this include you? Could they control you?"

_::Do I look like one of those inferior species Astrid?! No, as I was stating earlier above all other species except for the two greats there are my kind, referred to among other dragons as the 'Moon Scions', the Great Four Wings, and the Storm Brothers. We three species have the same capacity to speak with humans as I do to you now, and it is for this reason that we all had very specific duties within the Great Nest. The Great Four Wings tended to have a very neutral demeanor and so were the arbiters of disputes between all other species. The Storm Brothers had the task of keeping humans away from the Great Nest by showing their presence and might in faraway places to throw off the trail of any who would dare look for and attack us. My kind had the unique occupation-given to us because of our ability to hide in the night and our superior speed at all times regardless-was to go outside the nest and to observe you humans, to watch for any major events going on in the outside world and to report back about these things to the Great Nest.::_

Toothless rolled his head as a human does to whirl their hair and straightened his neck to appear as disciplined and magnificent as he could. He was most evidently a creature that was proud of his profession, who saw there to be nothing nobler than himself and the tasked he was bred to perform.

_::Then the kings would collect and remember this information, keeping track of the world around them and preserving this knowledge so that it would not be lost. The loss of knowledge about anything is of course illogical, since because the knowledge has come into existence, it is only fitting that it should continue to exist in the event that such knowledge becomes needed at some point in the future. This was the purpose of my species, and hence why it is logical that we are capable of living for so long as such a time as necessary for the gathering of so much information. That Hiccup was the purpose to our existence and why were granted such a privilege from the Moon Goddess.::_

Hiccup gave a heavy exhale, he and Astrid spellbound at this revelation of a rich history they had been so oblivious about. Astrid still had her arms hunched over her knees, wrapped up tightly and paying close attention. Hiccup reached over for his own furs, feeling the night air pierce the cave with the assistance of a fierce gust of wind outside. "So…all this time you've just been out gathering information? Getting ready to report back to the Alpha?"

"No! Wait…no Hiccup that wouldn't make any sense…would it? I mean you-you took him down on a night where he was attacking us, when all sorts of dragons have been attacking us as they have been for the last three hundred years…" Astrid began to narrow her eyes at Toothless, smelling some kind of deceit that did not align with what the dragon had told them. "If your kings were so benevolent, why have dragons been such a problem on Berk and around the whole Archipelago? Why?"

The question got a physical response out of Toothless that neither human was expecting as the dragon shifted in its rest uncomfortably and brought its tale in front of him, more so a gesture to protect himself than anything else.

_::You will note that I spoke of things in the past when discussing this. The way of life as it always had been was unfortunately shifted when I was in my youth.::_ A sudden and exasperated tone came to Toothless' 'voice', the soft and distinguished tone Astrid and Hiccup heard was growing sadder, mind thinking back to more fantastic events that further drew the humans inward to listen.

"What happened?"

_:: Just at the time when I was coming of age there was a conflict growing within the Great Nest. I have neglected to mention that between the three higher species including myself and the Alphas that we call king there was another species that had the rather unfortunate designation of 'Betas'. They are very large creatures, almost as large as the Alphas and who also have the capacity to control the lesser species mentally. They were too large to fly very often and so relied on food from the lower species, unlike the Alphas who utilized the cavern system beneath the mountains and went out into the sea to feast on fish.::_

"Wait! Didn't you tell me that the big dragon that commanded the raids on Berk had wings and couldn't feed itself? So that's what you call the Beta?"

_::…Yes Hiccup. Perhaps one of the older ones or even Mood Goddess forbid an offspring of one of them. They are an unfit pedigree unworthy of life and deserving of eternal retribution for their actions! They were always envious of Alphas and their undisputed power and wished to have total control over the inferior species so that they could be constantly fed and live a life of idleness…the vain, lethargic monstrosities of nature!::_

Toothless growled, face becoming tense with a rage that indicated a bitter conclusion to his tale.

_::In the safety of the mountains the Alphas and all dragons had never expected that we would ever had to fight any amount of humans in significant number. Our kinds have always been in conflict whenever we come into contact, since so many of you have a tendency towards violence against that which you do not understand and we…we really did not care enough on whether or not peace ever came about since our casualties were always so fewer compared to yours. That and considering how frail you humans tend to be, we never thought any of you would be insane enough to march an army into mountains in the middle of winter. Such a thing is illogical.::_

"Well yeah. Of course." Astrid scoffed, thinking that Toothless found such a notion as darkly humorous as her considering his still rather neutral tone.

_::You humans have however demonstrated time and time again your tendency towards doing the illogical...::_

The single statement was said with such a sudden dryness and with a prelude to agony that it put an immediate end to Astrid and Hiccup's small smiles at the previously stated and apparently not so ridiculous notion. The dragon growled lowly to itself, calming the air before him and giving a strong huff from the bottom of its lungs as it proceeded to speak.

_::There was a war going on amongst you humans when I was coming of age, one of three that would occur between the two great powers of the time. One resided in the land below the mountains, the other existing in the land of the sun across the sea from these mountains. The people from the land of the sun had lost the first war, and their leader had vowed vengeance upon the other people. He had marched his army from a distant land to the West of the mountains and was bent on attacking the other people from where they were least expecting it. The Betas at this time were conspiring against the Alphas and had found an ally for their cause in that wretched waste of an intellect that was Palantinius, the one Alpha who was as prone to laziness and dissent as the Betas! The Betas and Palantinius had allied themselves to overthrow the Alphas and to reap the rewards of a life of lethargy and idleness, without pursuit of knowledge or care for the welfare of the inferior species! But such is the way it was meant to be! The inferiors must be kept in line but they must still be cared for, protected and led by the superiors! Such a thing is only logical!::_

The dragon's tone grew increasingly bitter, flush with a seething anger that apparently the passage of even a millennia was not able to quell.

_::The Betas and Palantinius allied with the leader of this army and agreed to stage a simultaneous attack and uprising at the Great Nest. With the Alphas in a state of shock the Betas gained control of the inferior species and wielded them as an army of slaves. Only we few from the higher species could escape the Betas' command, and many of us died while trying to defend the Alphas. I do not know if any other Alpha escaped asides from Palantinius, that rotten pile of bullshit…did I use it correctly that time?::_

"Uh, yeah bud you did but…wow. So it-they just all died. The nest was destroyed? Just like that?"

_::Yes. Only a few of each of the higher species escaped the slaughter as the Betas saw us as a threat to their new rule. After that they gave some of their enslaved dragons to this army commander so that he may better wage his war. Still-and this is the great irony-is that despite his capacity on the field of battle that I was later able to observe he still lost his war despite the alliance he had with the Betas! After this, the alliance between the Betas and Palantinius fell apart, incapable of agreement and without the wisdom or intellect to think better of any topic. They each took their own detachment of the lesser species they had enslaved and went their separate ways. The dragons that attacked you back on Berk were under the control of one of these Betas.::_

"But wait, you said that the Betas can't control you, so you still haven't answered the question of why you were attacking us the night you got downed. Why were you attacking us then?" Astrid's question was not so much accusatory as it was curious. Toothless' story of woe had made her cautious, worrisome to further darkness that may have existed in his past. But the question was still a valid one and remained. He was still the same Night Fury that had been joining in on the attacks of the village for several years; she needed to know why for her own closure.

_::Well…yes what I said is true that the Betas and the Alphas cannot immediately control the higher species, it is only because we have enough intellect to be aware of our own freedom. There does-there does come certain times though when the mind no longer wants to be free, when it is forced through an event that destroys its desire to be an individual, to submit to total authority because it is the only thing that makes sense in the world anymore. :: _

There was an awkward, pregnant pause as Toothless finished, both Hiccup and Astrid expecting him to continue but finding that the dragon was silent and in brooding, something dark that they did not understand simmering beneath the ebony scales. Careful and somewhat worried of what lay ahead, Astrid spoke up with a dry whisper. "So…you were under the control of the Beta? So what happened?"

Toothless continued to be silent, looking Astrid down with a restrained belligerency that made the girl worried. The bright green eyes struck her fiercely, not so much angry at her but at whatever event she was bringing up in his memory. An event so painful that he lowered his head to the ground and wrapped his tail tightly in front of his face, removing both people from his sight.

_::It is none of your concern for now. Go to sleep.::_

Astrid sat back, unwrapping her arms from around her knees and leaning back against the cave wall and surprised at the sudden dismissal of her question. She looked to Hiccup, who was as equally intrigued yet worried at the dragon's sudden change of tone. He stammered a few times, trying to say something before coming to the realization that such a thing may not have been for the best. The dragon was being calm for now, but there was a sense that any more prodding would elicit a violent reaction that would not bode well for anyone. He looked to Astrid with a mutual concern, both anxious as to what may happen.

He mouthed _"well that got awkward"_ to her, she responded with _"I know, guess it must be something really bad."_ They stared back at Toothless, who remained hidden behind his tail, body taking in sharp, uneasy breaths at an unsteady rate. This only led to further concern between the two, but their apprehension continued. They'd gotten more out of Toothless this one night than ever before, seeking anymore-especially if it brought up a memory as painful as what they could infer from the dragon's actions-would just be pushing their luck further than they should.

Hiccup gestured with his hand for Astrid to come over, as he reached for the rolled up blanket and large pillow they had been using to sleep on. The girl crawled over gently, careful not to be too loud and disturb the delicate, tense peace left in the wake of Toothless' self-imposed exile. She helped roll out the blanket and lay on her side, dragging her edge over her body as Hiccup did the same. When both edges were pulled over correctly, the blanket could envelop them securely and still provide them with a soft surface beneath them to spare the agony of a cold rock floor. They curled up close, enveloping themselves and drawing each other close to drive out the cold.

"That was…strange." He whispered in her ear at a level so low it was still difficult to hear even with his lips but a nose's length away from her. She nodded slowly, not wanting to turn and face him now that they were already in the comfortable position they had become used to in the last few weeks. "Guess-guess that's putting an end on discussion for the night." She hummed an affirmation to him this time. "Guess we should-guess we might as well go to sleep now." She hummed again as he settled in behind her, arm in a comfortable and neutral position across her abdomen and chin lightly pressed into the back of her neck, still smelling of a sweeter kind of earth than his own aroma.

"Again, I'm sorry about earlier today. I just-"

She turned over in his grasp to face him, pulling in closer as Hiccup tightened his grip. "I told you it's alright. Memory's-memory is a tricky thing sometimes." Hiccup's face relaxed into an easy smile as Astrid's very touch relaxed him into a state ready for rest and sleep.

"Okay, thank you."

"No problem." She whispered, her own arm stretching over to his hip to his lower back, gripping him with as much a sense of protection and comfort as he did to her. "Good night Hiccup." She leaned forward and placed a light kiss on the top of his forehead before leaning her own forehead against him, tucking herself into that awkward space between his own head and the pillow.

"Good night Astrid."

He whispered, tightening his grasp on her as the girl's eyes closed and pled for sleep to come and whisk her away. Hiccup kept his open a little while longer, contemplating the world around him. He kept glancing back towards Toothless who was firmly locked up in his asylum of black scales that were keeping all others at bay like the walls of a great emotional fortress. The darkness was in the background, the light that was Astrid wrapped tightly in his foreground. Both were in pain, and he could not deny that he still carried his own agony within him from years gone past. Thinking of such things only made him clutch onto Astrid even more, this instrument that had once been of pain now a vessel to happiness within his hold. As he breathed her in, letting the rich vapors rest his heart he sighed, glad that he was still on good terms with this girl but now worried for his other friend. There was a darkness within him that Hiccup was now starting to see, some past even more violent and painful than his own. Whatever it was, Hiccup knew that he would learn it in time just as he had learned of everything else made aware to him tonight. There would be more darkness in the future. For now though, he would slowly brush his nose across Astrid's hair, and embrace the light.


	12. Glimmers of Light and Dark

There was something remarkable about those first few days when a new year begins to shed the tight hold of a former's winter. When the opening skirmish is made to drive the cold and darkness away and to breathe a new sense of vibrancy and purpose into all manners of life. For Ruffnut, few days in a year could truly compare with the magic of not feeling pain at stepping outside, of the wind being calming and relaxing instead of aggressive and combative, demanding she stay indoors.

The entire village seemed to be in similar spirits for the occasion, embracing the ability to walk outside with leisure instead of haste; clearing as much of the snow and ice that they could now that the sun had finally heard their pleas and come to their aide with enough warmth to warrant such a beautiful day. Ruffnut walked briskly from her house down towards the docks, where the breaking away of the sea ice had allowed for the first ships from foreign lands to enter port, seeking safety from the waves and profit by trade.

For now there were few of the foreign peoples that lined the wharves. She knew the season was still early and that the seas were still not free from the hold of winter. Slim pickings in every regard.

It was an unspoken truth and nearly universal practice on Berk for the women to use the trade season to sniff out prospective spouses from the unassuming sailors that would wander into port throughout the spring and into the autumn. On an island with a small number of families and with regular losses from dragon raids, bringing fresh blood into the community was a must. And considering the amount of hardships one already has to put up with on the high seas, traders and adventurers tended to make for the best stock to replace the annual losses, to ensure a constant stream of warriors and children to keep this outpost on the edge of desolation alive for as long as possible.

It was a practice as old as the island itself, and perfected over the years so that each mother knew exactly the qualities to tell her daughter to look for when silently perusing the prospective candidates. Other people of the Viking disposition were typically found to be the best, although the Celtic peoples and Germans from farther south were considered nearly if not completely acceptable substitutes. There were quite a few Berkians who could trace some lineage back to Alba, even if a few of those lines stemmed in fact from slave girls taken in raids instead of traders harmlessly seduced with that always reliable Nordic charm.

Ruffnut had heard her parents complain several times about the increasing number of foreigners being brought into Berk in recent years, that her generation was the last of the "pure Vikings". They were supposedly the last generation of complete Viking stock to be born and have a childhood before the raids started escalating as they had in recent years. Each raid brought new casualties, and each casualty meant a replacement had to be found. Like an army on campaign, every loss mandated another man come into take his place in both battle and bed. On Berk, seed was as important as sword at this point.

The few traders and shelter seekers now present on the docks were hardly an impressive assortment to Ruffnut right now. Most were of that strange assortment of middle aged men who were still trying to hold onto the flame of youth against the eroding stresses of a life in Northern waters. Faces looking older than they probably were, with skin long ago given a tan that was now cracking and showing signs of time's progression, they were hardly an attractive bunch. Most seemed just as disinterested in her, probably already having families back in whatever native land they hailed from and not seeking to enter the maelstrom of blood and toil that was Berk.

Ruffnut had considered at various moments perhaps forgoing the usual tradition of seeking an outlander and going for a native, of one of the boys she knew closer and for longer, who was part of this last generation of "pure Vikings" as her parents so regularly lamented. But were there any suitable candidates?

Snotlout? Too boisterous, too immature-for now at least- and from what she'd seen he had no concept of what a husband was supposed to be. Not that she had much knowledge of what a wife was supposed to be, but at least she knew what she wanted for a counterpart, and Snotlout wasn't it.

Fishlegs? Harmless but not in the shape she would desire a husband to be in, and not exactly coming from the strongest stock himself. In addition, he was not exactly showing much of an interest in the opposite gender at the moment, and Ruffnut truly believed he only went after Astrid-what few, poor attempts he tried-in order to fit in with the other boys. Not that he was of the disposition that would make him totally not attracted to his sexual opposite, but he just wasn't ready yet.

Those were the only two in her generation that were left, not exactly the best options. There _had_ been Hiccup, of as poor pedigree and strange as he was he was certainly looking like the best option between the three in retrospect. Poor Astrid who'd fought him for so long was probably now stuck with him, having lucked out in terms of suitors. What Ruffnut wouldn't give to be kidnapped away from her current options and given at least _something _different. A kidnapping sounded delightful if it would take her away from the thoughts of being forced to choose between offerings as poor as these.

The other boys were still lamenting her loss, hers and namely hers alone. The anger that had been so prevalent in the weeks following what was gradually coming to be seen as a kidnapping by most had withered away as winter progressed, the topic having been worn down to exhaustion by a people kept indoors for far too long. Though still longing for her old friend to be back, Ruffnut had accepted life for what it was and had mostly moved on. On an island with regular loss of life, the disappearance of a single girl-no matter how valuable or respected-could not be dwelled upon for long.

Chief Stoick still remained an enigma for Ruffnut. His rage and disdain for everything his son had done to his family's name had been worn freely on his exterior, exhibiting an honest shame and anger towards his son that still made Ruffnut uncomfortable to think about. She'd seen little of him through the winter-whatever chaos she and her brother brought to the village was minimal and handled only by their parents. After observing him in these early days of spring, she wasn't sure how to define him. Like most of the villagers he'd seemed to have moved on, mostly forgotten the incident until a conversation lacked and the uproar and rage flowed as a means of keeping a talk going. But there was an underlying quality she couldn't quite place, nothing that could be identified with certainty or precision, but some kind of emotion that hid behind a stern wall as fitting the chieftain's name. It was neither anger nor relief, neither apathy nor obsession. Perhaps it was ambivalence of a strange degree, a feeling that wasn't sure what it was supposed to be. A feeling that existed only for the sake of existing, waiting to be identified and exhibited but until then hiding, waiting for the right moment.

In contemplation and longing for a friend on another distant horizon, she took to standing on the edge of a pier; gazing out into the Nordic waters that taunted her with the prospect of a husband. A husband who would be used as muscle for village defense and as a tool of breeding, Ruffnut being the other half of the necessary equipment for creating more little boys to die by a dragon's fire or more little girls to search for their own mate and to repeat the cycle. Sex, slaughter, repeat. A dismal future much like always. She marveled at the fact that her parents could have ever had a happy marriage, that they could still keep themselves awake at night performing the act of united intimacy that would make her and Tuffnut press their pillows against their ears and pray that Thor would take away his blessing of fertility from their father.

She didn't _have_ to be so persistent in her search right now. She could still wait a few more years before her parents would start seriously pressuring her into finding a suitor, but the hunt, the enjoyment of observation and analysis had become so ingrained into the culture of the island that even the youngest girls that none would consider of ready age would join the older ones in the walkthroughs, marveling at the complicated dance of seduction and infatuation that the Vikings would entangle the travelers with-and occasionally vice versa if a trader was endearing and charming enough himself. Ruffnut and Astrid had enjoyed this rite of passage, this indication of coming maturity to varying degrees, even if the latter was often prohibited from such seemingly effeminate and soft pursuits by a man that the village was still tiptoeing around, careful not to unleash the wrath of a father living in a constant state of bottled rage.

Sighing but with a smile at the fresh spring wind that brushed her hair, Ruffnut turned to look back down the pier and to return to the village and an afternoon of boredom, of trying to get her brother to spar only to meet the excuse that he "didn't train till all the snow was gone, it's bad luck." A ridiculous notion to Ruffnut, and one that typically left her having to look to Snotlout for sparring, an experience Ruffnut never liked. He took a weird pleasure in being hit that Ruffnut did not care for, some sick joy that only put him farther down the list of prospective suitors.

Beginning her walk she lamented that the hunt had gone so poorly today, hopeful that tomorrow or next week or next month or at some point in the future there would be someone for her, someone with whom she could make more little boys to grow up as perpetual soldiers and more little girls to grow up and be seductresses. Were this man to come from distant shores to settle on this island of war or to kidnap her away to some fate unknown like her best friend, Ruffnut could not be sure.

Some ignorant and clearly foot foolish jerk had the audacity to back into her as she stepped in front of the gangplank of a ship, nearly sending her into the waters from the sheer weight of his body.

"Hey! Watch where you're going you foreigner!" She screamed as she righted herself on the balls of her feet, pouting at her near dip into waves that-despite the pleasant day all around-were still far too cold for anybody's comfort.

"Oh! Well Christ, sorry lass didn't see you there, my fault." Ruffnut stabilized herself and raised her head to find a man younger than the rest, running a large hand through his slick black hair, attached to a face of notably Celtic features with three thick bars tattooed under his chin He returned his hand to his side, relaxing the thick muscles that ran down the entire length of his arm and that most definitely continued beneath his tunic to a well toned and rigid chest and midsection. Judging from the exterior alone he would be in the peak of physical fitness, a perfect specimen of what the male physique was capable of.

_Oh my…_

He extended one of the muscular hands towards her, lowering his head with a smile before flicking away a few strands of hair that had gotten into his cobalt eyes. "Eret, the son of Eret. You are?"

If Ruffnut were anywhere else, she would have taken the rapid beating of her heart to mean that something was seriously wrong with her. In this man's presence though it felt justified, as if corresponding to some universal truth of 'rightness' that was surging through her. She took the hand and tried to put her full force into the shake, finding her feminine digits were easily overpowered by the man's firm grip."Uh…they call me Ruffnut."

"Ruffnut? Father was right; the Vikings do give their kids strange names." Eret gave a small smile as he withdrew his hand, folding his arms underneath each other in a manner that only made his muscles show even more, trying to keep them visible even if the man did not seem the kind prone to vanity. Ruffnut couldn't help but giggle at the statement even if she felt she should take some offense to it. At the same time, giggling felt just as right as her beating heart, threatening to burst out of her chest and fly away, not content at being confined to a place as small and cramped as her ribcage.

"Well then Ruffnut I'm sorry for nearly knocking you over, was just being a fool and wasn't looking where I was going. Hope I didn't hurt you or anything."

"Oh no! No! No you…no I'm fine really." What was she supposed to say? Should she revert to the old tactics her mother had taught her? Should she be doing anything? What was happening? Who was she?

"Ah well good then. Can't just go visit islands and then knock girls into the water now can I?" He nodded his head in a demur, almost embarrassed manner. Ruffnut shied away as well, not quite sure why. She had no reason to be embarrassed, no reason to be shy in front of this man, so why was she? She tried to gather her nerves, to calm her beating heart and get a conversation going to distract her from this strange feeling extending from her core to every appendage of her body.

"Yeah…so what brings you to Berk?"

"Ah you know just seeking some shelter for a few days. Do some repairs; maybe trade a few things, the usual."

"Oh yeah that's good that's good always good to do…good to do repairs."

"Yes indeed."

The two remained in awkward silence for a moment, both unsure on where to carry the topic.

"So…you're pre-"

They were interrupted by another sailor coming down the gangplank who drew Eret's attention with a foreign sounding call that the girl could not place. Eret laughed a moment and spoke something back to the approaching man, who handed Eret a mangled mess of rope that appeared to have been tied too many times. After giving some kind of foreign ridicule to the sailor, Eret drew a short knife from beneath his clothes and cut at a few different edges to make the mess come undone, dismissing the sailor with another jest.

"Bah, damn Ulstermen never have any shred of commonsense now do they?" This was apparently a joke to him, and Ruffnut felt that same strange urge to giggle that had so recently come over her, prompting an awkward journey around her vocal range as she tried to sound more dignified than she looked and to come up with a response.

"No…I guess they probably don't." Once more, the conversation died down between them for a moment. She had been denied her chance to compliment him, likely a sign from the gods to be cautious around this stranger. An awkward silence pervaded, but in this silence Ruffnut couldn't help but feel happy, maybe downright giddy? Everything was so uncomfortable but so exciting, so foreign and yet so innately familiar. Eager not to lose the moment, she made to keep up the conversation by whatever means she could.

"So…that's a nice knife you have there. Is it from your homeland?"

"Ah this thing? No picked it up from some boy back on the Isle of Man, traded mine for his and went our separate ways. Got to say I like the thing even if it is a bit too short for my taste. Then again maybe I'm just fickle about it. Just can't seem to find the right size and when I think I do I find something wrong with it. Crazy right?"

"No….yeah maybe." Why couldn't she stop laughing like an idiot? Was this man just secretly funny and she wasn't consciously perceiving it? What was happening to her? Desperate for more of whatever strange feeling filled her while in this man's presence, she reached to her side and slowly pulled out her own, a gift from a distant relative to commemorate her early successes in physical training.

"What do you think of this?" She presented the blade to him, similar in overall structure to his but a finger's length longer and better constructed, ornamented with some polished rocks at the guard and with a handle tightly wrapped in rawhide. She nearly felt her legs give out when his hand brushed hers again to remove the knife from her grasp, looking it over carefully as one would fine gems or a work of art. Ruffnut waited eagerly in anticipation, taking the time of his distraction to further contemplate his whole person. Muscular and charming, capable of enduring the pain of tattoos but still so endearing, a different brand of voyager altogether. Were she truly committed to her goal of seduction; he would make a fine target. Nevertheless, she wasn't, and he wasn't going to be her suitor. Of course not. He looked a good five years older than she did and she still had a few years of youth to enjoy before settling in for a married life. But Freya be praised he was impressive. _Very_ impressive.

"Very impressive." He remarked, holding up his own knife to compare. After a few moments of contemplation he turned his own towards her. "Trade? If you don't mind parting with such a nice piece of course."

"No! No I mean yes! By yes I-I mean yes you can trade. Not no in that you can't but no that you…no that you aren't…that I mind parting." She wanted to swallow her tongue as punishment for it being so unresponsive in giving a response. It was rendered weak, in a bewildered stupor in his presence.

"Good. You can have this then." He strutted his arm forward to gesture for her to take the blade. She eagerly took the opportunity to feel his hand again, clasping his grip with both hands and enjoying what little of a fleeting moment of the touch of the calloused fingers as she could before extracting the knife and taking a better look at it herself. It appeared vaguely familiar, rather similar in fact to the kinds of blades Ruffnut knew tended to come out of Gobber's workshop. She did know that there were a lot of Vikings on the Isle of Man, so that must explain it. Just good old Vikings doing their thing and annoying people in every corner of Midgard.

"Uh…thank you." She croaked out, feeling a dryness creep up in the back of her throat, her palms starting to sweat into the well worn leather of her new knife.

"Mmh, yes I think this one will do me well. Thank you lass. Now I've got to get back to unpacking these fish but I'll see you around alright?"

"Oh…yeah alright. Yeah we could use some fish so why don't-yeah why don't you get back to unloading them then. Uh…enjoy you're stay here Eret." She began to walk away, compelling her weak legs to make small strides back to the beach but so hesitant to move very fast and thus miss a moment of communication with this man.

"Thanks Ruffnut. See you around. God's grace." He waved her goodbye as he moved back across the gangplank back to the ship, yelling at another man on board about some business that probably involved an inability to tie proper knots. Ruffnut walked away, looking the knife over in her hands some more. There was a strange familiarity to it that she couldn't place. She knew it was crazy. She didn't know anybody on the Isle of Man or anywhere near where this man probably hailed from. Still, there was something about it that was strange, like some ghost from a past that she could not remember.

She tried to ignore these thoughts and instead focus on the recent encounter that had so suddenly changed her entire ability to communicate with fellow human beings. Life ad seemed dismal and disappointing when she had first arrived at the pier, now it seemed full of some strange hope, a zeal for the future she could not explain. This man, this foreigner by the name of Eret was an enamoring individual, a splendid example of what a fit human body was capable of. It was everything a typical Berkian would look for in a future spouse.

Breathing in the oncoming spring air must have been making her giddy, infecting her with an overzealous approach to life. She'd been cooped up too long; the prison of winter had made her forget how beautiful life could be. It was the beauty of life-and a foreigner-that now drifted in and out of her sequence of thought, each giving their own sense of pleasure and gratification to a mind looking for such things.

She looked the blade over some more as she reached the shoreline and began the march back up into town. In retrospect she liked her old knife more and found this one to be rather unremarkable. Well made, but without polish or class. There were three symbols at the base of the blade, runes of some kind and further proof that it was Viking made. Likely some mark of the maker. If Ruffnut could read, she might have cared about it and paid the runes more attention. But not now, she could not worry about faraway blacksmiths she had never met when there was a very close man that had set her heart beating in strange ways. It was a reminder of some great feeling she could not understand that had filled her when in his presence. A memento of an afternoon well spent in one of the oldest of Berk's traditions, looking out for herself and future generations. This knife was a reminder that she had a destiny, had a purpose, and had something to look forward to this trade season. She was going to become a true part of Berk's culture and learn the ways of a woman.

Kidnapping now seemed overrated. **,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

Astrid wanted to see flowers.

She was upset that the full beauty of spring time was still a good month or so away. Springtime would mean flowers, and she was certain that this open countryside would soon be at its peak, alive with brilliant pastel pallets of such things. The pleasure of bees and the human eye alike would be fulfilled by such a sight and Astrid was frustrated that such a beautiful thing evaded her for now. Muddy grass and a grey, dreary sky were the only things she had to look upon today as the rain continued to pour from the skies above without relent, as though some great punishment for a misdoing Astrid wasn't sure she had committed.

She sat at the edge of the field where it gave way to virgin woodland, thick with trees and vines and foreboding to any and all interloper or trespasser. She and Hiccup had draped their blanket over their heads, hoping to combine its protection with that offered by the trees and to keep most of the rain away. Toothless had once again tried to insist that Hiccup take shelter beneath his wings, but a combined retort from both humans had struck the idea down. Astrid didn't want to be stuck staring at a field all alone, she needed somebody to be bored with. The two sat together on a downed tree by the field's edge, the canopy of some well grown pines giving them what shelter they could.

There was not even any thunder or lightning to make the storm interesting. It was only a constant downpour of small, mostly insignificant pellets of water, tiny specks of moisture that were still enough to make flying a difficult affair. They had begun to explore different areas of Wales over the past two weeks, the weather allowing them to leave their sturdy structure of the cave and to once more live a free-if for now still rather rough going-existence in the countryside, practicing more complicated flight maneuvers with both on dragon back. There had been more than a few close calls and fallings off of Toothless, but thanks to mutual knowledge of the flight pedal disaster had so far been averted. They were intent to keep it that way.

"Whew…think it's going to let up before sunset?" Hiccup mumbled, eyes blankly staring off into the same distance that did so little interested Astrid.

"Can't really say…probably not though. Guess we'll just have to rough it somewhere tonight."

"As good a plan as any."

"Ha! Since when have we been following a plan?"

"Uh…since now when we decided to rough it out here tonight? Maybe?" Hiccup squeaked, unsure of what he was supposed to say.

"…fine. But just for tonight. After that we don't have to stick to any more plans okay?"

"Sure. No plans, no commitments, no anything. How's that?" He gave a small nod her way, still transfixed on the vacant nothingness in the horizon.

"Perfect." She groaned as she rolled her neck, trying to get at a knot that had stubbornly appeared on and off for the past several days. At tilting it too far to the left, she felt her entire spine shifting off balance. Instead of fighting the lean, she embraced it and allowed herself to curve against Hiccup's arm, breaking the boy's fixation with the vague concept of something that controlled his vision. His head stuttered and turned suddenly to find her working into a more comfortable position.

"Move your arm."

Without a word out of fear for disrupting this delicate situation, Hiccup withdrew it from his side and found Astrid adjusting herself in closer, her own arms limp and not doing anything, but the side of her torso became more flush with his own, her head tilting against his shoulder. Cautious to not disturb this wonderful occasion, Hiccup stalled at what to do with his arm, and so the appendage idled awkwardly in the air, refusing to come down at fearing he may brush away this occasion like a cloud of fog. Every attempt he made to bring it down was stopped with a sudden jolt; his elbow barely dropped an inch after three separate attempts.

"Oh just put your arm around me already!"

Her demand was neither threatening nor belligerent, but a request for something that she was annoyed was not already occurring. Suddenly broken from his indecision, he conceded to her request and slowly the arm came down, draping over her back and onto her right shoulder, slowly tightening the grip after a few moments of no further comment. There came from the back of Astrid's throat what Hiccup tried to register as a content grumble as she settled in, pressing just enough of her body weight against his so that it could be felt but not enough so that he was being physically overwhelmed.

_::The physical touching seems to have become a constant between you two, why is this so?::_ Toothless spoke up from his tightly wrapped up ball of scales, apathetically asking a question with no other goal than of passing time. At the periphery of both Astrid and Hiccup's vision, they both gave hesitant eyes to the dragon and then to each other, uncertain on who should answer and how.

Astrid took the lead and decided to turn the question back on the dragon. "Well what about the other Night Furies? If they were friendly with each other wouldn't they have wanted to stay close to each other?"

_::What would be the point in that? First before all other things we know that were few of my kind to begin with, so interaction was rare and was usually relegated to between mating pairs and their kin. Even then, any sort of physical proximity between parent and offspring was limited to that which was necessary for their upbringing, none of this pointless touching you have to so regularly partake in. Between mating pairs, such proximity was still mostly regulated to the actual act of mating…as such a thing is rather necessary. After all, as we tend to live mostly solitary lives it is deemed illogical to compromise our familiarity with one lifestyle by engaging in another.::_

"Of course…all comes down to logic with you." Astrid mumbled, exasperated that she had to keep contending with the reptile's reliance on reason that always seemed to have an answer for everything.

_::How could it NOT come down to logic? The point of mating is to find the suitable partner to whom the mutual contributions of both shall produce the best offspring. Where does the constant touching and strange actions that the two of your perform come into play were you living logically? It does not, which only confuses me more as to where you two stand in relation to one another as-::_

"Toothless…we're not hearing another one of your rants about this right now." There was only the vaguest hint at any kind of anger in Hiccup's voice, but it was enough to put an end to the dragon's monologue for the moment. He kept his head down, eyes away from anything and most especially Astrid. The girl in question peered at him with curiosity, sensing a stifled desire within the boy to talk about things that the dragon as always stirred from within him with a barrage of endless logic.

"Hiccup…"

"It's alright Astrid…we don't have to talk about it." He whispered, still trying to keep the conversation down. It was not one he wanted to have right now, nor did he think he'd ever have the courage to actually bring up his questions to her. At the same time, he had his arm around her; she was pressed tightly against his side of her own volition and wanting to be near him. Things could get worse by him asking, but there was now a chance for improvement, to become even better than the present.

"Hiccup…" She lifted a hand to his chin and turned him towards her stare, only somewhat concerned but more so intrigued. "…what is it?"

With a sigh and in doing so letting his precautions and fears fly free and away from him, Hiccup began. "What-Astrid…what are we? I mean…yeah. What is…_this?_" He gestured to the two of them, and to the fact of his arm laced over her shoulder. He felt his knees beginning to close in towards each other, veins and arteries dilating at asking such an open-ended question that could only have one good answer.

"You just-"

"I gestured to both of us Astrid. What are-I mean we sleep next to each other, sometimes you kiss me and I kiss you-"

"You're still a little behind on your side of the count."

"Yeah-yeah I know but it's because-it's because I don't know what _this _is. I just don't know what to do because…I don't know what we are."

Hiccup could feel a tenseness come over Astrid, her body trying to form its usual wall against such thoughts and to formulate a way to get out of this situation. Yet now the tightness of her muscles loosened quite quickly, and as she dragged some of her loose hairs away from her eyes and looked up to address him, he could feel some of that sense of easiness himself.

"What are we?"

Hiccup nodded slowly, wary of any and all answers.

"Well…we're friends aren't we? We get along all right, we make each other laugh, and we help each other get by out here. We keep each other warm at night, we-we kiss each other when we're happy…that's good right?"

"Yeah."

"So that makes us friends right?"

"…yeah."

"Hiccup-" She grew terse, demanding his attention and a straightforward discussion without demur glances or sentences that led nowhere. "I thought we already settled that we were friends. What more do you want me to say?"

He had to come out with it, throw down the verbal gauntlet. "I need to-I need to know what we _are_. Like you said, we do everything together…even kiss and hold each other and stuff. So are we...are we a _thing_?"

He winced as Astrid quickly sat back up straight from her lean into him, throwing off his arm and nearly throwing the blanket off their two heads. He'd done it. He'd screwed up, taken this to the logical conclusion it was meant to go to and hence why he hadn't wanted to ask in the first place. The status quo had been so nice, why did it need to change? She was being quiet, brooding some kind of response that he was sure was going to crush him. He braced for the worst.

"A _thing_?" She sighed, turning the question over in her mind, giving it enough time so as to give Hiccup hope. "Well…what do you mean?"

"I mean-I mean do you…_like_ me? Like, as in-"

"Yes." Her answer was crafted as though it were obvious, that he was panicking and fretting over something he shouldn't. "Well of course I like you Hiccup. Why would I be here if I didn't?"

"But-"

"I know what you're getting at Hiccup. And yes, but no. Yes because I _do_ like you, because I like being around you during the night and the day and because now that I'm away from Berk I can't really see my life without you in it anymore. But also no, because…really Hiccup what are we going to do? Just because we're together doesn't mean we have to be…_together_." She lifted a solitary finger to his lips, melding both together with a gentle, loving touch. "I just want _who_ you are, not _what_ you are. Alright?"

Hiccup felt himself melting, his skin hot with the blood that flowed in different ways with the two varying emotional tides that pulled at him, at some points having sent him towards the precipice of despair yet now dragging him towards some golden light of hope, still wanting and ever hopeful. No matter the part of her that touched his lips, be they her own or just the tip of a finger it was still enough to draw a smile from his face. She held her own, sweet and innocent, hoping only that he felt better; satisfied with the reality she gave him.

"Alright." He whispered, her finger falling away from his lips. She leaned in again, skirting over and once more pressing her side against his. This time without hesitation, he put his arm around her and pulled her in close with confidence.

"I like you too Astrid." He shifted his head and gave a small kiss into her hair. "And I'll even out the score, just you wait."

"I'm sure you will." She grumbled affectionately, resting her head at the top of his shoulder.

_::And once more with the illogical touching. It never loses its appeal does it?::_

"It doesn't lose its appeal because it feels good." Hiccup countered, earning him a huff of amused approval from Astrid.

_::It may feel good while being performed, but to the external observer it appears illogical and pointless.::_

_"I think it's romantic."_

The voice that responded to Toothless was feminine, but not Astrid's. With nervous curiosity Astrid and Hiccup cast the blanket off their heads and fully exposed themselves to the elements and looked behind them into the forest, dark and without structure. Toothless as well was alert and scanning the shadows, vines, and every visible surface for the cause of the disturbance but finding none. Teeth bared, he began growling at the amorphous woods as Astrid and Hiccup got up from their seats and approached the edge of the dark void of twisting figures.

"Who-who said that?"

_::Show yourself!::_

_"What fun is revealing without the chase? Come and find me, and I'll show you my face!"_ An orb of gold, like a summer sun shrunken and given movement dashed between two trees, catching the three's attention.

"Did you see that?" Astrid drew her knife and started forward, stepping over rocks and the remnants of trees long fallen as she pursued the apparition.

"Astrid wait!" Hiccup began the dash after her, Toothless following behind and leaping cautiously through the trees and continuing to look for this strange object that would appear for a few moments in an amber shimmer before diving back for the cover of tree tops or bushes.

"Come back here…whatever you are!" If simply by virtue of her better physical shape Astrid was keeping right on the heels of the phantasm that taunted them with fleeting glimpses and taunting giggles. How a ball of light could giggle she wasn't sure of, but such were not things she could contemplate in the midst of the hunt. Toothless was close behind her, smashing through webs of dried, dead vines and so clearing the way for Hiccup who stumbled behind both, more so trying to catch a glimpse of the being rather than hunt it down. The ground was slick with the rain, water pressing up from the ground with each person or dragon's step as they chased the orb through the quagmire.

The forest was slipping behind them in flashes of dark color; brown, black and grey merged into one entity of darkness that was no longer a place, but a medium to pass through as the pursuit continued. The gold phantom occasionally stopped a moment to let the three catch up before darting forward so as to taunt them, drawing them deeper into the wood and to some bright, unwavering light beyond the endless palisade of oak and birch through which the hunt took place.

Astrid was the first to stop, Toothless and Hiccup coming up behind her in order and halting their pursuit as well. Hiccup was sucking wind but was not in too much distress to ignore the sight before them. The three had been drawn out into a new sort of grove that did not seem to match with the surrounding forest. It was lined in an oval by tress as lush as the rest of the forest would be in spring, thick with leaves and adorned with a heavy layer of moss. The oval itself was mostly a field filled with long grass and wild flowers, mostly white, lavender and red in color that looked as fresh and vibrant as the most basic notion of flower itself. Not a single plant, neither flowers nor tree nor single blade of grass seemed to show signs of damage or age, forever youthful and untouched by both man or the more ferocious aspects of nature. Looking upwards, the sky was clear, deeply blue and without precipitation, totally devoid of any discernible aspect of weather.

In the middle of this field was a tree, knotted, gnarled and twisted in ways that only a tree with a great amount of time to grow can do. It too was as full of life as the surrounding plant life, and never seemed to have ever been in a stage of distress or under the punishment of winter. The entire grove looked forever alive, never having concerned for its growth or feared of its destruction. It was warm, a sharp contrast to the raw rains they had escaped upon entering this strange oasis in the midst of a barren wood still under Winter's control.

While it was a beautiful sight, the three were in this strange place for a reason, and looked around desperately for the sphere that had brought them here.

"Where'd it go?" Astrid demanded, knife firmly clutched and ready for whatever came at or threatened them. Hiccup began to step forward into the grass, crisp and crunching underfoot with so much noise that he almost felt bad, as though he were killing some innocent creature and hearing its dying screams.

_"You can put away your weapon; there is no use for it here."_ The voice was very high pitched, resembling that of a little girl but with a sense of distinction and air of quality that made it sound worthy of respect. It emanated from the mangled tree, glowing with a healthy light much like the one they had followed to this spot. _"Come forward, no harm is meant."_

Still seeing nothing but intrigued by this mysterious place, the three crushed grass and flower underfoot and made a steady pace towards the tree, still looking around and trying to make some sense of this odd place. It all seemed to glow with a strange kind of amber vibrancy, everything that was held within shimmered with a golden aura that inspired thoughts of summer, when the world is draped in life and filled with hope that such a sensation could last forever. Coming within a few paces of the tree and close to the greatest reaches of its moss covered branches-adorned with bulbous pink flowers that smelled like pine, with a subtle touch of honey-the voice spoke up again.

_"So glad I found you, was told to expect the visitors but was unsure when you would be around."_

_::Show yourself and we shall reply, and only this.::_ Toothless demanded, tail curling around Hiccup's legs protectively. Astrid still held her knife, having never once trusted anyone who told her to disarm herself when she was not absolutely sure what the reason was.

_"Ugh…your kind has always been so demanding, rather vain too. Very well, just take all the fun out of it why don't you. Here I am_." From behind one of the contorted branches of the tree there came a face, pale and innocent. The entire being hovered into view, and it was this attribute that most immediately took Astrid and Hiccup by surprise.

This being appeared human yet could not have been bigger than a common cup. A female, she was dressed in a gown that shown with the same kind of bright aura that surrounded them, looking to have been woven out of some irradiant, golden cloth that even if made out of a metal looked as soft as lamb's wool. Her complexion was fair, her eyes a very light shade of blue, resembling the calm waters of more distant and warmer shores. Her hair was brown and came down over her shoulders, but it was behind this hair that the most intriguing feature of this girl was to be seen. Though fast moving and producing a strange humming sound, there were a few brief moments when Hiccup and Astrid could see a sputtering set of translucent wings, resembling those of a dragonfly with a textured and geometric surface without organization or reason to their assembly. Natural, fully developed and functioning wings on a human body that was draped in gold and no more than two hands tall.

_"I must say, I was expecting a little more from the two of you in particular, but there have been more unexpected occurrences during my time. Such is Master's preference then." _The being floated towards them, humans in a state of bewildered surprise. Even Toothless was rendered action-less, unsure on how to deal with a sight as odd as this. This…_thing_…was observing them, taking in every detail of their physical being and making quick judgments about them while she hovered from side to side, making quick and sudden changes in direction like an insect. She took a particular interest in Astrid, quickly buzzing around her and muttering words like "marvelous" and "most impressively reared"

_"Oh how stunning! It was not exaggerating when describing you…"_ Hiccup took a step out of the way to allow the flying thing to get around to Astrid's back. The girl kept spinning around so as not to have the flier be in her blind spot, only to have the quick buzzing wings keep this golden wrapped entity forever at her back._"Just hold still I won't hurt you…just want to get a better look at you is all."_ Her voice was gentle and disarming, without malice or threat. Still wary, Astrid looked to Hiccup for some kind of guidance, receiving a glace to mean_ "You're really going to get on the bad side of some hand-high girl with wings?"_ Begrudgingly relenting, Astrid sheathed her knife and stood at attention, not wanting to give this winged woman any sense of calm between the parties as she allowed the inspection to continue.

_"How beautiful!"_ It cried out, taking Astrid's braid between her hands and running small fingers through it. At one point she even rubbed her face into the thick mess of hair, an act of curiosity especially on Astrid's part as she bore the brunt of this wild fascination. _"Oh some of the best I have ever seen! Do not see why you were made in such a low form as human, how could such a fate befall you?!"_ The flying one let go of the braid and let it drop to Astrid's side as she hovered around in front of the girl, smiling and innocent of thought. _"Oh you would have made a fine little one to steal away but-"_ She sniffed at the air a moment, wincing at something neither Hiccup nor Astrid were directly aware of. _"But you are alas of a bleeding age, bereft of the more innocent kind I desire."_ It hovered before the two of them, nonchalant and acting as though nothing of an extraordinary nature was going on, a state of mind the assembled three disagreed with.

"Who-who…_what _are you?" Hiccup asked, straight to the point and eager to address this floating female in front of him who had a strange fascination with Astrid's hair. Not that it wasn't quite nice, but the adoration was unexplained and from out of nowhere.

_"A valid question I suppose. You see I am not merely a thing, an object as you would call it, but a manifestation of something you would never be able to sense in a physically discernible form."_ She patted down her golden tunic and brushed aside a few hairs from her face. _"I am a keeper, a watcher and observer of the world that sees to its good function. This forest is my home, that tree in particular is a gift from my Master, a drop of its grace to make this realm as beautiful as it can be. The humans from around this area have legends and tales of beings like myself, so I have found it fitting to remain in a form such as this for the time being, to let them take encouragement in their beliefs and in my existence. Hence the form you see me in now, more for the sake of amusing others than specifically for you three. For the sake of conversation…you may call me Dwynwen."_

"Okay…Dooinwen… but _what_ are you?" Astrid asked more so as a demand, wary of the strange things this winged girl said.

_"I had been informed you were aggressive, glad to know that you are keeping up with things. I am but a messenger for you at this point, an emissary sent by -as you at least refer to it-the gods."_ She stopped abruptly, leaving the three in suspense. All three waited to hear something more, but saw that the winged one had nothing more to say unless prodded to do so.

"Wh-what? The gods?"

_"A rather simple way of viewing the world as far as my kind are concerned…but I will allow you to remain in your ignorance-now is not intended to be an enlightened time after all. I had been told that I was to be expecting you passing through this land, and so was given the task of informing you of the necessary things that have come up in recent times."_ The three looked between each other, trying to make some sense of these strange words coming from the one with strange name and even stranger body.

_::And you say that I speak in a confusing manner…::_

"No, you just sound like a pompous ass." Astrid replied before raising her finger to draw the flying being's attention. "So…so what do you want from us?"

Rolling her small blue eyes and rubbing her hands together, Dwynwen cracked a smile and sighed with a pleasure known only to the wisest and most educated in all matters.

_"Ah…yes the big moment, I was waiting quite some time for this. I have made myself aware to you so as to reveal that you must begin your preparations. My Master to whom I am but an extension of prefers to keep the world in order, in a balance of light and dark, joy and sadness and so forth. However it would appear that there is threatening to be a large force of darkness which is likely to create an imbalance of evil in the world if it is not stopped. All is foreseen and in such a time and place you three are visible as well. However it would be unwise for you to be ignorant to what your destiny is for when you get there, so I am simply here to inform you of the workings of fate so that you may be ready for it when it happens."_

"Um…I...uh…wh-what?" Hiccup stuttered forward, seeing both Astrid and Toothless were as confused as he.

_"You needn't concern yourselves with such things for the moment though. The darkness is distant and right now no more potent than other evils of the past. Still, you must be aware of such things. The 'gods' as you describe them would not wish to see the world and you yourselves unprepared for when such darkness arrives. Hence why I am here, to tell you."_

It sounded ridiculous, absurd and like many a farfetched story both Astrid and Hiccup had heard before. The gods existed; there was no doubt of this. But to have a direct intervention by one of them or even some intermediary was a rare thing mostly relegated to the sagas. Why them, why now?

_::How are you to be trusted? How are we to know that your information is valid and not the result of trickery? I am unaware of the Moon Goddess ever intervening in such ways, especially not in humanoid forms.::_

Dwynwen hovered down to Toothless' level and took his head in her small hands, not intending to lift but only to console with the touch of the small, delicate fingers._ "Oh have trust in me you vain, entitled one. That which you perceive as the 'Moon Goddess' has plans for you as well, but these shall come later and involve things that are better left discovered for yourself. What fun is there left for you if everything is revealed at once after all? No, I am instead here to discuss such matters with the humans, but rest assured that things are planned for you as well my special one."_

"Us? What's so special about us?" Astrid asked, growing intrigued but still wary of this strange being that was telling them things that no person, regardless of station or capacity ever expected.

_"The gods-oh it infuriates me to lower my Master to such a name-sees the two of you as the ideal couple to undertake this task. The bond between you is still developing, but the Master has foreseen a fruition of it that is most pleasing. Master wishes that the two of you remain together, as it is only through your mutual companionship that Master sees the darkness being returned to an acceptable level. Maintain your relations as they are and develop them as time progresses, all should be in good order by the time you are needed."_

"Um…like…"

_"It is not supposed to make sense for you now. As I've explained to your draconic friend it is against sense and reason to inform the destined of their fate, this only complicates things and interrupts the order that we work so hard to keep. All shall be revealed, my role in inconsequential in comparison for what awaits but-"_ Dwynwen clenched both her arms and legs together, smiling with an innocent passion and excited for events known exclusively to her. _"-Oh I can't wait to see fate play out, it's always such a joy!"_ She relaxed after a moment, wings still buzzing and keeping her afloat as golden tunic shook with the erratic movements of her rapturous body.

"Oh…well then…" Hiccup muttered, giving a long, shuddering breath, overcome with anxiety at this strange winged creature and all she said. It made no sense, seemed incomprehensible for such words to be spoken in his presence. Astrid was reserved, but Hiccup could still see some kind of disbelief in her, a tempered shock and unwillingness to understand something so abstract and fantastic that was now right in front of her.

"So you're-"

_"Only a messenger, intent to see that the order of things is maintained. You are a part of the order of things, and so I must see to your maintenance. Now that this is done, you may go on your way; destiny does await you after all."_

"Uh-"

_"We shall all meet again at some point in the future, but until then I must bid you farewell."_ Dwynwen touched her tunic and withdrew a few of the golden threads, seemingly making no impact on the construction of the garment as she crumpled the gold in her tiny hand before opening it up and revealing a well ground powder that the power carried towards them all _"Until that time, may Master protect you."_

Hiccup and Astrid awoke with a stutter, sitting on a log at the edge of a wood and overlooking a field. The sky was grey and air cold, rain descending from the heavens. They were protected by a thick blanket that was draped over their heads. Astrid was leaning next to Hiccup, his arm wrapped over her and holding on tight. Toothless was to their side, looking around into the dark woods in a confused manner.

"What-"

"What happened? They shed the blanket a moment and looked behind them, seeing just the same dark forest that had existed behind them before. The world looked the same that it had been; time had been merciful and politely allowed them an interlude beyond its reach.

_::That was…strange.::_

"Were-were we all just thinking the same thing?" Hiccup asked.

"I…I think so."

"That was-"

"Strange." She looked up to him, genuinely confused, beyond any chance of comprehending what had just befallen the three of them. Their breathing was not rapid, but precise and tenuous, ready to break into a full gasps if anything more astounding were to occur.

"Do you…do we want to…talk about that?"

"I don't-maybe not now. I'm just…I don't know what just happened."

_::Something strange happened, I thought that was already established.::_

Both humans groaned at the dragon's remark, bringing a calming sigh of amusement to each as they met gazes. "So-" Hiccup began. "So…I guess the gods think we're a thing then…"

"I don't need their permission." He huffed at her insistence, turning his head and pressing a small kiss into her hair. She purred as she adjusted herself within his hold. Only after a moment of this new, blissful contentment he looked away, focusing on an object to his left that grabbed its attention. "Huh…"

"What is it?" Astrid asked, curious as to what could have suddenly distracted Hiccup and if it had anything to do with their strange interlude that felt half like a dream.

He leaned over a little and plucked at something before bringing his left hand over to show her. "Don't remember this being here before. Here."

He held out in his hand a small bulb, white as a cloud and shining with an ethereal golden light. Astrid took it quickly, breaking out in a smile at the magnificent sight. Holding it up to her nose, she found it smelled like pine with the perfectly balanced undertone of sweet honey. It was an emblem of spring, proudly waving the banners for a brighter time to come when life would be bright, regardless of the god's will. Even if death was now the destiny of this plucked bud, for this brief moment beauty was hers to have. So as she was held, she held this inaugural symbol of life in her embrace. Here in Hiccup's arm, in the grey and miserable rains of Wales, this flower-this gift of the gods- was hers.


	13. Until It Sleeps

_Where do I take this pain of mine?  
I run, but it stays right by my side_

So tear me open, pour me out  
There's things inside that scream and shout  
And the pain still hates me  
So hold me until it sleeps

_Until It Sleeps-Metallica_

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

_She was on top of him._

_There could be perceived no background or any manner of surface, it was unnecessary. All that existed was darkness, warm and inviting. Without structure there could be no distractions, nothing to take focus away from the lone action committed in this womb of love and unity._

_She was moving slowly, hips making steady, sensual rolls against his groin. She had him pinned where his collar bone met his shoulders, using them to steady herself as the two worked together to pleasure each other. His thrusts were growing faster and stronger, building up with intensity and seeking the great ending that both of them desired. Her hair was outside of its braid, loose and free and falling over his face as strings of illustrious gold, shaking and shifting with every pulse of energy that shook her body. _

_"Yes Hiccup…"_

_He alone was this source of pleasure. Every thrust was of his doing as he strived to bring Astrid closer to her own heights of ecstasy. He was taller than he knew himself to be, more muscular and holding on to her like a predator does his prey, possessively and refusing to let go. But she didn't want to let go, she was all his and he hers. His hands dug into her shoulder blades, firmly pressing down as a means to control the waves of satisfaction that surged through him. He wanted her pressed as tightly against him as possible. _

_Her face came in closer as her back shifted, finding a new, more comfortable angle for her sex to join with his own. She arced her spine forward, her breasts rubbing firmly against his chest, toned and in perfect symmetry. Her lips came in closer to his own, nuzzling with them and tongues extended to meet each other. He wanted more, and raised his head to seek more of those lips; soft, rouge petals that were always painful to be absent from. His hands moved from her shoulder blades further down, the shapes of the bodies shifting to accomplish his new desire. She gave a low, sensuous groan as his digits rimmed the valley at her rear, running down the sides to slide over the sides of her thighs and there establishing his new grip, firmly pulling her inwards. _

_He wanted to direct her body, to calculate each and every little movement and jolt of happiness they gave each other and to bring them closer to fulfillment together. Her hips widened, allowing his shaft easier access as she arced her back again, panting hard as his pace continued to increase. Each little noise, sometimes bordering on a syllable that could be comprehended as "Oh" or "Yes" only made him want it more, something he had enjoyed so many times and yet still remained truly ignorant to._

_"Astrid …yeah come on…" He wanted to hear her groan even more, and he made his next few thrusts stronger, intending to drive deeper into this delicate object that was his vessel to the pinnacle of human pleasure. He knew this to be true, it had to be true. Everything he believed, everything he was doing in this instant meant that it had to be true. More, he needed more._

_"Yes Hiccup, yes what-what-oh what do you want?"_

_He hadn't thought he would need to respond, and decided that one more foray towards those pink lips would suffice. He took them in eagerly, thrusting his tongue forward and seeking her own, one more thing between them to be united in their amorous actions. He withdrew when the initial sensation of passion was gone, sucking on her bottom lip as he retreated and let her keep applying the pressure that she had been doing at his upper chest, steadying herself with every sensuous roll._

_"Hiccup…yes Hiccup what-oh! what do you want?"_

_"Oh I want you Astrid!" He screamed into the dark, comforting void that surrounded them, pumping himself into her harder as he felt the pressure build. Beyond the womb of black there was an odd exterior perception, glimpses of true physical awareness that could sense a climactic event building and was preparing for it. Astrid was joining him in applying the pressure, driving herself into him faster and rolling against him with zeal, seeking her own release from activity and to ride the waves of bodily ecstasy_

_"Mm…oh what do want from me?! Her breasts were shaking; fluctuating with each burst of energy that was put into her by both their actions. Hiccup was trying to get in deeper; trying to get as far as he could go even considering its greater than usual length. He needed more, it could never be enough. The perception of reality beyond the exterior of darkness grew; reality could be sensed by the touch of his body against itself, both straining to hold back and yet seek the conclusion to every little action that was being performed in the safe shell of darkness. _

_"Love me Astrid….just-oh yes oh…just love me please! Say it!"_

_"Mmhhhmhmm….oh yeah you want me to say it?!" She gasped out, breaking down with the first waves of her release smashing against her walls of sanity and stripping away any coherent thought. She was slowing down her grinds, adjusting her grip to the curves of his shoulders and letting him finish for both herself and he as he felt his climax rapidly approaching._

_"Yes! Yes say it Astrid!" He was frantic at this point, desperate to end this brutal effort of seeking pleasure as his legs trembled with each maniacal, desperate attempt to find his release. He couldn't take it anymore, this needed to end. He needed to hear her, needed to finish or else feel unfulfilled, used and forgotten._

_"Oh…"She was coming apart, the darkness was coming apart. Sound and light and reality were becoming known and actualized as Hiccup rushed to end this, to find joy in the darkness before being cruelly ripped away from it."Oh Hiccup I-"_

_He couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't wait for two conclusions at the same time. Every part of him was coming undone; whatever satisfaction could be had in one area was being overpowered by more pressing concerns. _

_" I-I-oh I-"_

_"Nahhh….yes Astrid! Yes! Yes!"_

_"-love you!"_

Hiccup's eyes shot open, instantly awake and attuned to a particular sensation. His groin was in spasm, he felt a liquid heat being pushed forward and out of him, each pump successively weaker than the other as a numb high fell away from his perception. Above him was a dark stone outline, the ceiling of the cave they had found and taken shelter in for the night. Astrid lay next to him, separated by a few fingers distance on account of the humid warmth that surrounded them. Outside it rained, strong torrents coming straight down without wind. The air was thick, hot and still, irritating by its very presence.

He sat up slowly, careful not to disturb Astrid and so rouse her to his uncomfortable situation. Finally coming to a full sense of consciousness, he slowly slithered his left hand down towards his groin, where the explosive and climactic action that had roused him had finally ended, leaving him tired and feeling drained. There was now an unpleasant cold taking over from the previous warmth as the liquid cooled and made itself even more well known to Hiccup as he laid a palm at his crotch, wincing at the cold that he pressed it into the skin beneath his pants.

"Ah come on…not now…" He quietly mumbled, throat dry and tone exasperated.

He knew he shouldn't exactly be surprised at this occurrence; it had been more than common for him for the past three years, typically occurring at least once every two weeks or so. If anything he should count himself lucky that this hadn't happened for the past two-bordering on three months now-that he and Astrid had been sleeping next to each other. Every night going to sleep with her next to him, to have every detail that he would later envision so up close and personal was like a cruel, tempting manner of gift. Breathing in her scent as it carried him off to sleep was almost dangerous, daring him to dream about her in such close proximity. That's not to say he hadn't still thought about her-such things were on his dreaming mind every few days or so. But none of these had led to the uncomfortable, cold sensation he now felt between his legs. Perhaps a little when he was pressed too firmly against her and they were too hot under the blanket, but nothing as serious as this.

At least he could count himself fortunate he had not done this while holding her as he tended to do and that this shame was isolated to him. He didn't want to even contemplate the present reality that he had essentially had an orgasm on Astrid, barely separated by a few layers of leather and cloth that would do no more than prevent a direct physical touch.

There had been a few times when he had woken up to feel himself erect and eager when pressed tightly against her-sometimes against the very area this lower part of him sought to join with. Though he was often quick to separate himself from her when realizing this awkward position, he still dreaded the thought of her knowing if only for his own embarrassment.

He brought his left hand back up to rub over his face, but thought better of things and switched to his right instead. Blinking a few more times he knew it would take him a while to go back to sleep. The cold around his groin was uncomfortable but he was gradually getting used to it. The rain continued to fall, thick and without relent. The air was stiff and hot, the faintest odor of his involuntary release striking his nostrils unpleasantly.

"Ah man…" He licked his lips, dry and begging for hydration. He was sweating, the heavy air sucking out whatever moisture was in his body, the uncomfortable feeling at his hips was just one more process of this slow draining of his body. He wanted to get up and fetch some water from his canteen, one of the most recent things they had stolen away from an unsuspecting village. He decided against it, fearing that more movement might rouse Astrid and so have her ask what he was doing up. She'd no doubt smell something strange, and begin an inquiry that would not end well for anyone. He would suffer with a dry mouth for now. When morning came, he would be able to quench his thirst and get to someplace private where he could change to his other pair of pants, as well as possibly try and wash what he could out of his current ones.

They had left Wales last week, seeking a more Southerly place as Winter continued to recede and the two were becoming anxious to see a land of life and green. They had crossed the water dividing Britannia from the Frankish Kingdom last night and had made this cave home for the day amidst more torrential rains that produced only idle conversation and restlessness. Perhaps it was this idleness, a long day of doing nothing but staying around Astrid and having some dangerously provocative conversations that had spurned on this aggressive, lustful dream.

They had each shared their collections of the dirtiest stories they had heard from elders to pass the time. Hers had been of the time a husband and wife from Gotland had taken two extra slave boys to bed where actions that even Astrid was uncomfortable relating had transpired. The best Hiccup had to counter was the time Phlemna Gunderson had cheated on her husband with three different men in the same day. Both were as equally repelled by the other's tale, and instead returned to lighter remarks on what was supposed to be the right way to go about the sexual actions that the mentioned examples were clearly not good representations of. It must have been that, the act of talking so openly about sex when around Astrid that had stirred his brain up to finally once more force a release on him whether he liked it or not.

The back of his thighs felt weak, a combination of hunger and the recent orgasm. He sat quietly, brooding to himself as the night donated endless rains and solitude. He glanced over to Astrid, the girl that was the involuntary cause of his sweetest dreams and depressing reality. Her chest rose steadily, in the slow, easy rhythm of deep slumber. She had not worn his spare tunic to bed, and was back to her old blue one that was slowly growing too small for her, nearing the point where the lower hem would no longer go beyond her waist and instead begin to lay bare her lower abdomen. Such a thing was already possible whenever she raised her arms in the air, causing him to look away lest he be caught staring for too long.

Her face was neutral, bangs falling to the sides without her headband to keep them better secure. She had taken to the habit of removing it while they slept, finding it more comfortable. Hiccup had tried on a few occasions to ask her to remove the armored skirt as well (he wasn't sure how she could have possibly been comfortable in it herself). So far he was met with a rebuttal, even when he continued to make it perfectly clear that she could still wear her trousers and even his extra set if she wanted, but the refusal still stood. Perhaps that was why Hiccup hadn't had a dream as climactic as this one in a while; it was simply difficult to be aroused when constantly pressed up against sharpened studs.

With a slow, fatigued breath he tried to calm himself. Saddened to be awake by such torturous circumstances, he took to contemplation. Astrid's breathing next to him remained easy, in perfect rhythm and relaxing to the outside observer. Focusing on it, Hiccup thought that eventually he would get back to sleep and perhaps more pleasant if not as climactic dreams.

Here now sat a boy who had thought the only good thing that would have come of his life would be flying away with Toothless alone, finding some new, distant shore on which to settle down and live a solitary life without temptation or wanting for an always refused love. He'd never intended for any of this to happen, certainly not for him to kidnap away this one obsession of his from her own thoughts and dreams for the future. He'd never intended to be in a cave somewhere in Frankish territory, being roused from a cruel wet dream only to find the cause of it sleeping right next to him, so close in his thoughts and so distant in reality.

What was he doing?

So many years of longing, of constant thought and contemplation had marked out how he thought any relationship-were such a thing to ever occur-between him and Astrid was supposed to happen. Admittedly many of these ideas left no place for a slow, easy development and had been much like his previous dream, brief instances of relief for the sake of long desired physical gratification. Even if sometimes he wondered about what it would be like to spend the rest of his life with her, to live a peaceful existence filled with love and support, everything always returned to the obvious and inescapable physical desire.

Now things were developing and he had reason to be excited. At least once per day there was some intimate moment between them. Even if only small kisses on the forehead or cheek after getting food or their increasingly common ritual of one on the lips before bed, progress was being made. He _should_ be happy, be grateful that they had come this far and so quickly. This was the girl that had saved him from the clutches of an Irish vixen-who plagued his thoughts less and less with each day put between them-and who regularly helped get food for them all, started fires and gave him company that wasn't the dry, rational and more than occasionally pretentious dialogue they put up with from Toothless-as good a companion as he was. She was his everything, emotional and physical support that he doubted he could have survived out here without. She was everything that the girl in his dreams was.

But dreams were never reality.

The Astrid that came to him in a dark sphere of warmth, love and desire was not the one who lay asleep next to him. In his head, both of them were an ideal, caricatures of actual people wrapped up in a moment of raw, sensuous fulfillment without knowledge of borders or time. In his head, her breasts were larger, her hair shimmering like rays of sunlight. Her legs were thicker, devoid of hair and muscular so that she could push against him at speeds he thought inconceivable in the real world. He himself was taller and much more muscular, with a tight chest and strong arms and legs. His manhood was larger than he knew it to be-though it was mercifully an area that did not fit with his unfairly small nature, it only seemed reasonable to him that the bigger it was the more Astrid would like it. If the tool for use in sex was bigger, that must then correlate to better sex. It made perfect sense.

But neither larger breasted girl with powerful legs nor a taller boy with a vainly contemplated manhood were real. They were figments of want, objects of desire for a world that did not exist, that Hiccup felt he had been trying to impose on both of them. Everything was so right and yet so wrong, so confusing in every way. This girl he could see the outline of in the dying embers of their campfire was not the same one that he thought about in the midst of dark, erotic slumber.

At the same time she was so much more. This was not just a set of breasts and an ass attached to a face but a girl he knew had cared enough about him to stick along throughout a violent Northern winter. This was a girl who had cared enough to not let him die like a fool through one way or another. A girl who cared enough about him to touch him gently, as a mother does a child. A girl that didn't want him to become to an Irish girl what he wanted her to be for him.

She was more than a body, but a personality; a smile, a set of eyes and a face. She was more than what he deserved, more than what a young boy thrown around wildly by the growing demands of his body so desperately sought without any true knowledge of what it meant to seek. She was more than lust, she was love. A love removed from lust, independent of any devotion or worshipping of the flesh that he had up until this time thought were one in the same. She was still a body, but that was no longer the lone item of adoration. There was a want, a feeling that was unconcerned with being physically joined anymore and only desired more of this same feeling, to be immersed totally within itself and embracing the joy and sense of purpose that came with being in love.

Listening more to her breathing, he felt the trance of sleep begin to overtake him once more. After a long and lazy day he needed rest, deep and no further impeded by his selfish desires. That which made him who he was, a sense of self greater than the body no longer wanted to think of Astrid as the body of Astrid, but rather as Astrid as a whole.

He lay back down on the blanket, wincing at the cold in his groin that was now restful and flaccid, exhausted for now and hopefully kept at bay in the future. He wanted no distraction, nothing to take away this new feeling that now rested comfortably within him. The perpetually unsatisfied desire would remain that way, and as far as Hiccup was concerned this was for the better. Making his way closer to Astrid he slid his right hand over her left, wanting to enjoy this simple touch and not thinking about what he wanted that hand to do. All he wanted was her, _all_ of her.

"I love you too Astrid."

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

_She was on top of him._

_Everything around them was burning. Some manner of village was alight with dragon's fire, houses rapidly becoming mere kindling to the scorching blaze that surrounded them. Nobody else was around but she and Hiccup, boy pinned beneath the girl as all existence around them burned._

_"Astrid stop!"_

_One after another the blows came to every part of his body. The face was the most popular target for her, receiving every other strike that she lay down upon him. His shirt was torn to the point that it hardly covered him anymore, his chest, neck and body caked with mud and rapidly forming bruises. She was delighted at the sight, and continued her barrage with the hopes that his entire body would soon turn purple. His arms here helplessly kept down at his side by her knees, whatever effort he made to escape was no use. He was a captive animal beneath her, slowly being beaten to death in a rage for blood._

_The sky was orange, streaked with red and yellow. It was the same colors of the fire that continued to rage around them, growing stronger with every blow she delivered. The entire world was alit with color; hues of anger, rage and bitterness that swelled and contorted without end. The conception of a village surrounding them was only that, a conception. Even this vague idea of a place was becoming lost in a maelstrom of twisting; confusing emotion that only made her hit him more. She grabbed him by the barely existent collar of his shirt and began to shake his body up and down, pounding the back of his head into the ground with all her force. His eyes were trying to roll into the back of his head; his entire face was shaking with the sudden erratic movement. Blood seeped from his eyes, from his lips and his cheeks where deep scars opened up to a dark red inside that was slowly pumping out what life was left within him._

_She held him up for a moment, daring the boy to look at her with bloodshot and pleading eyes. The green that may have at one point resembled the fresh and lush grasses of summer were now dark and draining of hope, turning into a darker, forest green that she wanted turn black, to kill whatever spark of existence still desperately clasped onto life within them._

_"What did I do Astrid!?" He yelped before she dug her nails into his neck, deciding to prolong his suffering by dabbling in the delicate art of suffocation. His legs had long ago given up resisting, and now barely squirmed as she went on squeezing his neck in rage._

_"You stole me away!" She lifted him up from the neck and again bashed the back of his head into the ground, by this point but another streak of red that the two were now enclosed within, any sort of physical setting had abandoned them as they were left within the very emotion of rage itself, submitting to its will for violence and blood._

_"You took me away from daddy!" She took her hands off his throat and resorted back to strikes and pounds against his face and chest, her own body shaking with the emotion that surged through her that was even becoming painful. The more she held in this anger, the worse her body felt. She needed to release it as fast as she could, and with dual fists continued to smash at his body wildly, without form or technique. _

_"My village! My tribe! My best friend! You stole my life!" Her own body was in pain, and all she could feel because of it was a want for even more blood, for more anger and hatred to be released until it touched her no more. She had to release her pain, and with each strike she transferred it to Hiccup. He deserved it. He had ruined her life, had set her on a course she did not know. He needed to suffer. He needed to die._

_"Please Astrid I'm-I'm sorry!" He was crying as much as he could, tears mixing with blood as he begged her to stop. She felt no empathy, no sense of mercy. All that existed was raw, bitter hatred that needed to be released. She needed to end her own pain; he needed to accept his own. "I'm sorry!"_

_"No you're NOT! You're not sorry! You were never sorry! You always wanted this! You selfish bastard!" She was crying herself now. The pain was horrible. It was growing in her more than what she could give Hiccup. It was unrelenting, as though some invisible force beyond her perception were sticking a knife into her and no matter how much she tried to release herself from this agony it still continued. It was an unbearable pain that filled her with anger. Anger at everything that was manifested and concentrated in this one body pinned beneath her, fading farther and farther from life with each blow._

_"Astrid please!" His voice was growing weaker, using whatever energy he could still muster to beg as a scolded child does to a parent. He was annoying her with his desperation, all the more reason for her to end him. End the begging, end the pain, end everything. From out of the red-a swirling vortex of shifting hues and currents of violence- she drew a stone and lifted it above her head, screaming with rage and pain as she targeted his face._

_"Astrid no!"_

_"Die!"_

Astrid opened her eyes to find the red giving way to darkness. Eyesight quickly became a secondary concern for her as a sharp pain erupted in her abdomen.

"Ahh…ahh…" She sat up quickly, clutching her belly as the shock subsided for a moment before coming back in a second, more powerful wave. Body shaking at the sudden pain she struggled to hold in a loud moan, channeling it into a low, guttural growl.

"Shit." She snarled as another pulse of misery shook her body, her skin shaking as a strange but familiar sensation came over her as she felt herself changing. There was a sudden coldness at her groin, coming into being only as her sharp pangs receded for a moment to her dearest relief. She gave a deep, staggered sigh as the pain faded down to only a constant, dull sensation that she knew was going to linger for a few days. Expecting what she knew the regular routine to be, she lowered a hand down to her groin, pressing it inward to find a sudden, liquid coolness that was emanating from between her legs.

"Ah…figures."

She knew she had no reason to be surprised. She had been keeping track of the weeks ever since she'd woken up away from Berk that first night. She'd so far handled these special times as well as she could, improvising padding from the wool of dead sheep killed for food or from some rags she'd found in Father Liam's church. Finding fresher and more comfortable fabrics in Wales had further held her over, but without the best of washings they wouldn't be good for much longer. She'd either have to steal away some good soap for them or find new ones in some small Frankish town that would be subject of their next thievery.

Another pang struck up, causing her to wince and shed away whatever last vestiges of sleep she still had. She swallowed hard as she rode out the pain, shifting in her seat and bring the base of her spine parallel to the pillow. She panted fiercely as she focused on her abdominal muscles, trying to moderate the pain and ride out the shocks. After some work, the usual deep breathing and tightly wrapped arms subdued the internal lightning for now, once more reducing it to the background of her sensation.

After a few more moments of steady breathing and finding the cramps had relented for now, she focused more on her surroundings. There was a thick, bodily odor to the cave-she assumed it to be due to her blood. Outside it was still raining in much the same way it had been all day, thick and without end, sheets of water descending from the heavens with intent to flood all of Midgard. The air was thick and humid; life itself was all around miserable and nature conspiring to make it even worse. Her entire body felt as though it were fraught with terminal illness, but she knew it to be just the usual agony that all of her gender had to expect every few weeks. Such was how the gods had made them. Why in the name of Freya this only had to happen to her side of humanity and not the other was still a mystery to her, but if no one else had solved it yet, she doubted she would either.

She remembered that in her brief waking moment before she had reached for her abdomen that her left hand had been touching something. A quick deduction led her to the conclusion that it must have been Hiccup's hand. She thought it odd that the two hands had been so intimately joined; they had gone to sleep separately to try and stay as cool as possible amidst the horrible humidity. Perhaps she had reached out for him in the midst of her dream. That had to be it.

The dream now came rushing into her memory on a whirlwind of red that quickly made her feel more unpleasant than she already was. The details were vivid, fresh and not yet banished to oblivion like so many of her other dreams. She turned to look at Hiccup, his light skin faintly visible in the darkness. His breathing was low, with a raspy touch as his mouth lay open at the tips of his lips, colored a pale hue that were bordering on deathly. The poor boy had probably been having bad dreams too.

This was the same boy that had just a few moments ago been under her full wrath, in a land of fire and color and anger and pain. The same one that she had demanded die beneath her hands, tools that had been used for causing pain now clutching herself to avoid her own. She felt a new pain, not a physical one but of the soul that was striking her hard, assaulting with arrows of guilt and spears of confusion. She lowered her head in between her raised knees, trying to apply as much pressure on her abdomen as she could and so stave off the shocks.

She hadn't meant all those things, had she? She did not want him to die, she knew that much. He was too special, too close to her by now for that to happen. Yet all her accusations, her frantic complaints amidst an endless wave of aggression were sticking with her, demanding contemplation lest they dance in the back of her head and drive her insane.

What had become of her?

This time last year she was preparing for entrance into formal dragon training, aiming to become the greatest warrior in Berk's history. Now she was sleeping in a cave near a Night Fury with whom she had sarcastic, overly logical conversations with. She had viewed the boy who slept next to her with nothing but contempt, pity and adversity. Now she kissed him good night, laughed at his admittedly good-if dry-humor and couldn't see her life without him. Reality had been turned upside down, her very identity no longer made sense. This wasn't who she was raised to be, not who her father had tried to make her.

But she liked it. The world was an open place, an island infinitely bigger than Berk with endless horizons and vistas to explore. New places to see, new people to meet, a new world to call home that wasn't in a constant state of war. Her life was one of peace, one of friendship and mutual partnership. Nothing she had ever been taught, nothing that her old self was had been prepared for this. She was a new Astrid in a new life, loving every moment of it.

And her dreams wanted to kill Hiccup.

She tried to make the thoughts vanish, tried to wish the nightmare away like a child does to bad news. But the red stayed in her mind, her body felt tense with anxiety both from her physical pain and the taunting phantoms of violence that kept circling back to the front of her consciousness no matter how much she tried to repress them. Hatred, angst and bitterness were all she could think of, so prevalent in her mind that she could taste it on her tongue.

She looked towards the outside of the cave, where the vague outlines of the shower could be seen through the occasional flash of lightening. Existence itself was still and without energy, devoid of emotion or feeling and leaving only this one, solitary being to feel too many things for this time of night. Beyond that cave entrance, seas away in a land of war and brutality her father was probably worried to death about her. Her best friend was left to wander the streets alone, to deal with coming of age in a war zone without her. Astrid wondered who had won dragon training, if anybody. What had Berk been like since they'd left? Hiccup said he'd left a note for his father before he'd left for the cove, what had been the reaction? They had left behind two fathers whose only children had vanished in the night, likely presumed to be a traitor and a kidnapped prize, a hostage of sorts.

There was still that dark spot on her pride; that Astrid Hofferson had been kidnapped, stolen away like a slave girl from raids. Her rage wanted her to ball a fist at this incident from long ago, to find that spark of fury that had been with her those first few days. She still didn't _have_ to be here, freedom was hers for the taking. She could go back home and hug her father and go talk with Ruffnut and practice with her axe again, become who she had wanted to be all her life.

Her gaze shifted from the torrents outside to the body beside her, innocent face vulnerable in the darkness as the personality within rested for another long day of travel and survival tomorrow. The same face she had been making bleed, had drained the life out of and brought down a stone against was helpless in the night, needing protection and care lest that frail, delicate façade be destroyed and lose its charm.

He really did have a charming face, the way his auburn hair was growing long enough to nearly cover up his straight eyebrows of the same crimson color. His eyes could be so full of life, as lush as summer woods when he was excited, a tranquil field of grass when he was trying to be solemn or consoling. The freckles on his cheeks that resembled the constellations, in perfect symmetry with each other now matter how his mouth-with slim lips but a wide grin-changed when going on one of his always lost arguments with Toothless' logic. Asides from that faint scar at the bottom of his chin-she still needed to ask him about that- it was a nice face, well crafted, not a bad one to kiss.

Screw it, he was _cute_.

This trait only grew with each passing day as she recognized more about him, this boy that had left her questioning her identity in the middle of ceaseless rains. Yes perhaps he'd ripped away everything she'd known, but life was sweeter as a result. Air was cleaner, mornings brighter-even the pain that filled her entire body seemed somehow more manageable when around him. He had stolen her away from an island, but had shown her something bigger than an entire realm could offer. A boy she didn't mind- _wanted_ -to kiss goodnight, to hold her whenever the opportunity arose and to spend every day with.

She did not know who she was any longer, only that this person in whom she occupied a body didn't want to be anywhere but next to him, be it in the air or beneath a blanket. These visions of rage, lusts for blood and retribution were the dying vestiges of an old Astrid, one that had been bred and reared for hatred and war. Red was the banner of loathing, being waved fragrantly in a rear guard action in a desperate attempt to remain relevant in her mind. A new flag, one of light and understanding pursued the red away, forging a new Astrid within herself that she happily bristled at the thought of getting to know.

Slowly she slid back down to a supine position, her body warm with the aches that were working their way up from her abdomen and groin down her legs and up towards her breasts. Just the usual miseries doing their usual thing, the agony would be routed for a few days time and hopefully wouldn't make her _too_ unbearable for Hiccup-not that he wasn't used to her tendency for aggression at all times regardless. With a few strained breaths and careful calculation of her body's position she got closer to him, once more lacing her left hand through his right as their arms intermingled. She turned her head and rested it on the curve of his shoulder, finding a good balance between her own misery and the comfort of his closeness.

Whoever she had been, that was receding. She knew not the person she was becoming, only what this new being felt. A force beyond any she had known, destroying the fires and arresting the red. In this dark warmth, there was growing a new sensation more powerful than rage, more potent than fury and more permanent than anger. It was a new feeling for a new life, one she happily accepted no matter what the echoes of the past might be screaming.

"Sweet dreams my love."

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

_They were on top of him._

_Chains, innumerable and heavy had formed a metal cloak over his body. Two men of great physical strength, clad in leather and chainmail kept to either side of him. He pushed and strained against the chains but was slowly being sapped of whatever reservoirs of strength remained with each desperate push. A broad leather muzzle held his jaw shut, steel reinforced wooden wood frames kept his tail in place. He was immobile, only his neck was allowed any form of movement so that he may look around him, to behold this cruel fate. _

_Everything had been going so well, the times before this had been sunny and warm. The air had been clean, the sky welcoming to all manner of traveler. Over a millennium of free movement and constant evasion, centuries of never being spotted or caught had made them careless, without worry on that one day, sunny and bright and yet filled with so much darkness. First there had come the nets from every direction, followed by big, screaming humans with spear and axe and sword. The nets were weighted and made of chains, the big men only added to the weight that held them down. A few light pricks from spears had led them to submit lest their lives end right then and there. They were taken away in bondage, and had spent many risings of the moon trapped beneath this iron, festering in their own bodily fluids and with barely enough water to stay alert and resistant. _

_They were surrounded in grey, held near the shores of a wide body of water that hazily kissed the borders of a dark sky, contemplating whether or not to lay another shower upon them. The ground was cold, grey stone that was bare of the short grasses or moss that desperately clung to life in the vast plains beyond. It had been stupid of them to even be in this area, there was neither forest nor mountain to give them protection and nothing of value in these vast, rolling wastes. One mistake had cost them dearly as the two looked over at each other, separated by a few body lengths on a cold, barren rock that jutted out into the sea. _

_They could sense him, that aura of treachery and worthless sense of self that was unmistakable ever since his great betrayal. They were yet to see him, but they could feel him trying to enter their minds every waking moment, creeping around in the hinterlands of their independent minds and battering at the walls, demanding entrance and control. They had both agreed to remain resolute in the face of this hardship, that they would rather die of starvation and neglect than ever submit to his call like the more inferior species. So long as they were together _

_A man approached, one whom they understood led this motley assortment of eclectic and wretched smelling peoples who dressed in leather and iron. One of his arms was made of such a thing, a combination of admittedly well crafted iron pieces that linked together to form an intimidating looking replacement for one that had at some point been lost. He had for now shunned his usual implement of war and now carried only a knife, long and slanted, with a triangular edge and without the polish that otherwise typified human weapons. It was dark and unrefined, designed for function and not for show._

_"You have proven quite resistant so far, very impressive." The man-large in every sense- had with him a low, snarling voice that sounded to be constantly overworked. It indeed was, since at least once every time the sun rose there could be heard a great and ferocious screaming at the traitor that had submitted to this lowly human. A disgraceful fate for a disgraceful being as far as they were concerned._

_"It is true what has been said, you are a fiercely independent kind." It was not the first time that they had in fact been complimented by this man, who in fact had many good things to say about them. This was only fitting, as they were indeed of a pedigree worthy of worship, such had been the case since the Moon Goddess and the Sun God had united and formed existence through their will. They were the scions of She herself, spawned from her tears at learning that Her beloved would always inhabit another part of the day, that She would remain ever distant. They were Her protectors, guardians of the night and Her sacred realm._

_Now rendered helpless by humans and chains._

_"I have deduced that so long as you two remain together, you are unlikely submit to his will. This puts me in a difficult position…" The man lowered the knife to the ground, laying it down and resting his large fingers on the handle. "A position that I must solve regardless." With a strong flick of the wrist the blade spun on its guard, scraping against the ground and revolving a few time before slowing and eventually stopping, pointing to a set of dark green eyes that regarded the gesture with curiosity and suspicion._

_::What is that supposed to mean?::_

_The man smiled as he picked up the knife, straightening his back and walking towards the dark green eyes, grinning wickedly. "So since you are strong together, you must be divided. I can spare one…as much of a tragedy as it may be…" Gripping the blade tightly he approached, turning the crooked edge to a striking angle but not yet lashing out, rubbing the flat of the blade close to the neck of a green eyed creature that was beginning to panic._

_::No. No he cannot possibly…brother I-::_

_"Such fine scales, beautiful hide…you will still serve a fine purpose indeed." The blade began to dig in deeper, being turned over to the sharpened end as it slid along the grain of the scale, not yet digging in but begging to do so, the wielder taking a great pleasure in taunting the chained beast with the wait._

_::No! No!:: Both sets of chains rattled, two sets of green eyes frantically trying to put an end to what they both knew were about to happen ::No! I won't let them!::_

_"Ah…so strong a bond…a pity …:: The blade stopped, hand idling at the back of the neck for an agonizing moment before digging its way in._

_::No! No brother don't let him do this to me!::_

_::The chains I-::_

_::Brother help me!::_

With long, heavy breaths Toothless awakened, body paralyzed. Despite his strongest efforts the dragon could not move his body and remained stuck where he was. _::Come on not again…::_ It took several moments, but after serious conscious thought and focus his muscles freed themselves from the bonds of unconscious control and relaxed as the deep, staggered breaths continued.

Beyond the cave entrance, the long showers that had kept them inside most of the day had begun to abate. There was now only a light trickle of water that dripped down from the entrance. Asides from these scattered drops the world was quiet and without purpose, idle in the faintest streaks of grey that comes in the early morning. Nearby, Hiccup and Astrid were close together, hands joined and heads close. The humid conditions that had oppressed them all the previous day were loosening, the air cool and light.

His wide tongue was pressed tightly to the roof of his mouth. Removing it proved painful as it was devoid of lubricating saliva, and felt dry as it was torn away from the top. He raised his head as he tried to moisten his mouth, stale and bitter from a long sleep and dreadful thoughts. Morning was a short ways away, the humans would wake up once the sunlight became strong, and so the daily routine would begin again. They would eat whatever leftover food they had, and then head out flying until the sun came to its apex. At that point they would stop, hunting down some poor deer or sheep for the dragon; the humans would either have some scraps from it hastily cooked over a fire or eat more of their leftovers. Then it would be more flying until the Sun began to fly towards the other side of the world and they would seek some area worthy of giving them shelter for the night. Such was his life now, one of routine and companionship for two humans as they travelled across the world in the manner of vagabonds.

The brooding, never settled darkness had crept back up from the far flung reaches of the dragon's memory that-no matter how much he tried to repress them-always found a way to mock him every few nights. The shrieking, the frantic movement as the blood started to pour out, the desperate, panicked thoughts as the knife dug in deeper, peeling away the outer scales. The laugher, the sick joy the man had shown as the dragon had slowly given up his life, all was implanted on Toothless' memory and refused to leave.

He pulled around his tail, giving it a lazy look-over to try and distract him from the dark phantoms of memory. It had been so beautiful, such a perfectly designed tail that had made the other clans envious when he had started to come into it, before that fateful year and the great betrayal of Palantinius. He had been ready to take up the role his father had held for a good few eons, that special and relatively new role of observing the development of these strange creatures known as humans. They had started to build great structures, were forming some semblance of a civilized society that was an item of great curiosity for all dragon kind. It had been the year of his father's passing, his mother two more before. All had been right with the world; life had chosen him to perform the sacred task undertaken by so many others of his kind.

The battle had happened so quickly, humans coming in from every direction, in every color, tongue and manner of dress conceivable. They were yelling at full volume, scaring the lesser ones so that they became disoriented, a perfect target for the Beta's control. So many of his kind had died that day, barely any besides the two of them had escaped in order to scatter for the four winds, leaving behind the ancestral homes of great epochs now lain to waste by the greed of others.

For a millennium the two of them had hardly encountered another of their kind, perhaps once every few centuries where they would exchange what knowledge they could for a few days before moving on, still performing their job with no Alpha to report to. It was all they knew, all they could hope to do in an existence seemingly stripped of purpose or meaning. Still, it was a happy life, spent in fraternal bonding and amusement at the many follies and successes of the human race thus far, contemplating their ability to reason and to succeed in the great struggle of existence despite their many faults.

It only took one day for them to let their guard down for life to crumble. It only took the sadistic will and insatiable drive of a single man for existence to further lose its meaning, for the want of freedom to be extinguished and to offer oneself as a slave. To lose that sense of self that is the right of all intelligent beings, to submit to the demands of less worthy and despicable creatures that could force their way upon him no matter the amount of resistance that was put forth.

He continued to analyze his tail, tracing the light bones that comprised his right tailfin down to where they connected with the base of the tail, then finding where the metal and leather that comprised his left tail fin began. He gave a light huff as he tried to feel it, where a part of him had once been but no longer was. He could still feel the pain sometimes, an agonizing sequence of shocks that he rarely mentioned having. Hiccup knew about them with definitiveness-it had been brought up in those first few weeks together. He knew that Astrid must be suspecting something from the times he would suddenly wince while they were idled together or when he would shake whilst in midair, desperate to keep his composure amidst the false agony.

That first morning, waking up free of the daze of servitude had been so bittersweet; to at last be able to think for himself again yet writhing in horrible agony, trapped once more beneath heavy ropes and with a human bearing a knife over him. He had been ready for it to end, prepared for the same fate to befall him. Even if he had to go about a slow death on the ground by starvation, it would be on his own terms. Humans would never dictate his life again!

Only the boy had let him go. Over time, he brought him precious food. They had become friends, had learned from each other, and had been able to study the other as representations of species so long aggressive and aloof from each other. Most importantly, this boy had given him back the gift of flight and in so doing Toothless had given the boy the same. Green eyes were back in his life again; once more he had another being he could talk to and call his equal. Even the girl that they had brought along was becoming another invaluable aspect of his life, providing a different opinion on things and helping the boy survive in the rough conditions of a free life. The three of them were indispensible to all, a new set of kin to replace one so brutally lost.

Still the darkness persisted, tormenting the dragon as it struck forward from time to time, reminding him of a moment where he had been weak, helpless in the face of evil and the illogical-his eternal nemesis. He hadn't been able to help his brother, hadn't been able to protect that which he cared most deeply for when it mattered. It was a great, lingering shame upon mind and soul that he knew would never go away so long as vengeance remained to be taken. Would such a thing ever even happen? Was the terrible man still alive? Where was he? Somewhere in this realm the human that had stolen everything from him was still out there, he could feel it, this darkness that was imposing itself upon the world. Was this what the golden spirit had meant? Had the golden spirit meant anything at all, could she even be trusted?

Beyond the portal to the outside there were small, sharp chirps emanating from the grey darkness. The sun would rise soon, the Moon Goddess would once more charge after her lover, forever separated by the procession of time. Sometimes they would come close and both occupy the day, but could never again join together, denying all their creation of a new, better existence. Morning would be here, and with it a new day with Toothless' two companions, two friends with whom to continue observing the world and to form new, better memories than the ones of his past.

He lifted himself up and with slow, easy footfalls walked over to the two humans. Hiccup had turned over and clung to Astrid, his arm draped over her abdomen, her hand seeming to clutch it tightly there, desiring the warmth of his arm. He approached and lay down near them, tail sweeping forward to create a protective barrier around these two humans. Two people developing a bond he had once known, that he strived to recreate with them. With Hiccup in particular, this new set of green eyes that had once more given his life a sense of purpose and direction. A set of green eyes he would never see extinguished, that he would protect forever even if he had to lose another tailfin or even his freedom once more. He would protect this life forever; protect both of them so that the darkness would be denied this small, fragile beacon of light and friendship. Settling his head down, Toothless sent a wish to the Moon Goddess that in all her benevolent wisdom and mercy she would grant him more pleasant dreams for a little while longer before the day would begin again. He gave off a low purr as the first of the song birds continued their melody, luring him back to rest and contentment. His last glance was to Hiccup, a fragile friend that for this brief, delicate image of time was safe, secure and without fear.

_::I will protect you…brother.::_

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

**Hello Peoples!**

**I know this chapter was slow, but I had the idea for this in my head almost since I first conceived this story. A gentle start to Act II, but trust me there are more exciting things on the horizon. France is a large and interesting land, it has much offer our trio!**

**Hope you all enjoyed this and if so reviews, favorites etc. are always appreciated. Just went over that 100 favorite barrier and I couldn't be happier. Stay tuned for next time and I'll see you next week.**

**-Mc.**


	14. Spurred To Action

She knows this is a bad idea.

Inside the building can be heard the sound of pipes and whistles, the hollers and laughter of many men and at least a few women. Spring was still to come to this region; the air is laden with the cold and misery of Northern Winter. The day had the aura of snow about it, and she was certain that at least a few flakes would fly by sunset. There can be heard banging from inside; loud, synchronized smashes against tables and chairs as the masses within matched the lively beat of the music. Women laugh, men shout, pipes play.

This is very much a bad idea.

Valka knew that no matter how she went about things this was going to turn out awkwardly. It had been six years since she'd talked to a person-when she had last come to this town for new clothes, cooking equipment and a knife. After a ride that took most of a morning she could make it to this small outpost that keeps sentry over the Northern wastes, this lonely island that was the furthest that any sensible person would go into the cold, barren wastes of the Arctic. In many ways she disliked it, having a settlement of her own people so close to her little corner of isolation, always reminding her of her loneliness. Still, she did have to rely on it from time to time to give her those things she could not make herself, a dark stain of dependence upon herself which she hated.

She paid in the scales of Nadders, which when polished up were greatly valued as jewelry among Vikings. There were plenty lying about the sanctuary, so she was certainly never short of payment. But the bloodthirsty greed in which the people she gave them to showed still disgusted her, the way they gave her looks to indicate she must have slain many a beast to get these sickened her. They were too ignorant to understand the bond she had developed, and she eschewed most contact with them and went about her tasks as quickly as possible. Back then she had at least kept to the shadows, had stayed out of everyone's way as she went about her business. People appealed to her no more now than they did back then, when she had spent the entire flight back to the nest explaining all the stupid, illogical things she had seen to Cloudjumper. The way people treated another, how they could totally disregard their hygiene for no good reason. How they still held their old prejudices against dragons and each other, the way they planned for raids against rival villages like it were some big game. None of it made sense to her anymore after constant company amongst fully rational beings.

Still, she knew this was for her own good. The aching void within her had grown especially pronounced throughout this winter as day after day the routine wore on with little alternation. A dream about her old husband occurring five nights in a row had finally convinced her that some human contact was needed for now. Just a night she maintained. Just go in, talk to a few people and get this over with. She needed a brief respite from logic, needed to see the irrational again to remind herself that she was still human, a creature still prone to these things no matter how much she stayed around dragons. With a deep breath of the painfully cold winter air, she mustered her fortitude and made for the door, bracing for what may come.

The inside was painted with the orange and yellow hues of a large hearth that roared with life, stuffed with wood that crackled and sparked constantly. It was overall a small building, featuring no more than half a dozen large, rectangular tables that were packed with the large, fur clad men of the village. They were all of the typical Viking persuasion-the only peoples she knew of that were insane enough to try to survive in climates as harsh as these. A few women sat with the men, some on laps and others at the edge of the table. All ignored her as she made for one of the few open seats available, collectively beating their fists and knife hilts and feet at the rapid rhythm of the music as it built to a climax. A young girl brought her a fresh tankard of ale-poorly distilled and abrasive to the tastes by scent alone.

"Payment is three silver pieces for the night should you take a sip. Understood?" Her tone was as harsh on the ear as the alcohol to the nose. She was young; just at the border of what was considered normal marrying age on Berk. She was probably the daughter of the keeper, put to work to take the load off an aging mother who would otherwise be performing such duties.

"Yes, understood." Valka dismissed the girl with a soft, disinterested tone and turned her attention towards the musicians for the moment. Their song had changed, a slow air now pervaded the room as the banging subsided with the new tune, sorrowful and longing. Valka pushed the tankard to the side, having no interest in alcohol no matter the smell or cost. She sat sheepishly, eyeing those around her with curiosity. They still paid her no attention, and either whispered amongst themselves or paid attention to the musicians-she could swear a few were shedding small tears at the mournful drone of a pipe that sullied the mood of the room.

Her palms felt sweaty, her throat dry and beginning to desire the ale as a means to keep fluid. This had been a bad idea, she knew that. But she was going to talk to somebody damnit! This loneliness within her would not be satisfied until she interacted with another human, just enough to hold her over until the hole became too painful once more several years from now.

"So…can't say I've seen you around here before…" A low voice came from the man to her right, a tall blonde who wore his hair oddly short, no longer than his ears. He had a neutral demeanor, still deciding on whether or not to fully invest in this conversation. Seeing her opportunity Valka leaped for the chance to talk to another person, mind racing and trying to remember the proper words and protocol for social engagement.

"Yes…I-uh I'm just visiting on my way Eastward towards…_what is it…_the Rus land! Yes just grabbing some things for my trip there. Going to…you know go join my tribe's raiders down there on an expedition towards Greece."

The man raised an eyebrow, not showing any one manner of interest but only the most basic essence of the word. "Oh?"

"Yes! Just thought I'd stop in here for some music before I set out tomorrow…enjoying this lovely village you have here." She hoped he wouldn't ask where her boat was, that would only mean further lies. Then again her entire presence here was already based on a lie, so what was the worst that could happen?

"Mmh…" The man turned away and lifted his own tankard to his mouth, his full mustache and beard engulfing the rim and looking as though he'd take a bite straight out of the wood. He lowered it after a moment and sucked at the fluid still stuck to the longer whiskers hanging off his upper lip. "Well let's hope Odin gives protection to the rest of the party considering what's going on down there."

Valka had almost forgotten that a world outside the nest and this lone outpost could exist, and the hint performed its job of luring her interest. "What? What is going on in Rus land?"

The man showed a subtle satisfaction at having baited the woman into interest at his news, and went on elaborating about it in his so far standard, low and monotone voice. "They say that a great warlord has declared war on Kiev and that great battles are being raged all across Rus land. Order has been given to all peoples of that area to submit or perish. Not good time for pillaging, Greece not a good target for now. Would recommend turning closer to home, Alba maybe." He huffed as he got back to drinking, seemingly disinterested in the war he had baited Valka into hearing about. In many ways she was just as little concerned. The Rus were very far away, and she had no reason to be concerned. Besides, she would still be in the nest, what difference did one over ambitious warlord in a distant land make?

"Well…that's too bad then."

"Yes. I wish to hear about what happens. From rumors the man has a great army at his disposable; people say that they fight like dragons."

"Oh…" There it was. Valka knew it was only a matter of time before the unenlightened Viking mind resorted back to its hold fascination with dragons, and usually a violent one at that.

"Yes. Not that such things are to be feared."

"Really?" Her tone raised a few notes, curious and hopeful that a Viking may at long last surprise her.

"No. All you need to do is be strong enough and they die quite easily. You know this yes?"

"…yes." She grumbled, keeping up the fake façade of normalcy if all for the sake of not having to make a quick getaway. She knew she shouldn't expect anything different, that getting her hopes up would have been pointless. Still, there was always that vain hope that someone else would get it by their own accord, would come to understand what she had always known. It was a desperate and perhaps foolish notion, but the isolated mind can grow wishful sometimes.

"Yes. I would turn back to land where you came from, nothing good happening in Rus land right now." He was now no longer interested in her, being the kind of person that only spoke to others to give out information he knew, reveling in the satisfaction of educating and then withdrawing back into isolation, content that his job was done. She redirected her attention back to the musicians, who had changed once more back into a lively tune with the flute taking the lead. The server girl came back up to her and tapped on her shoulder.

"Take a sip and it costs three silver pieces…you understand this yes?"

"Yes I do."

"Then why do you not drink?"

"Because I do not wish to pay three silver pieces."

The girl looked at her dumbfounded, uncertain on how to respond. Valka could tell she was probably only told to say certain things, not yet being of an age where she could properly haggle and jest with the average clientele. "But…you have tankard. Tankard is free until you take a sip…"

"Yes, and I will have it be free."

"B-b-but giving away free ale is bad for business…"

"Good thing it's not my business then." Valka no longer gave the girl any attention, letting her actions speak for themselves as she let the server go back to the other patrons, stunned and contemplating to herself as to why anyone in their right mind would shun free ale on a day as cold as this. Valka found her foot beginning to tap to the pulse of the music. If there was one thing she missed most of all, it was the sound of music. She had tried on several occasions to master a flute she'd purchased on her first visit to this outpost, but found that while she could appreciate music just fine, the ability to play it simply wasn't with her. A few short melodies, a few runs up and down the register, but the discipline to learn and master such an instrument simply was not with her. If anything, this trip would be worth it if just to hear some of the old songs. One sounded very similar to an old melody that surged in the back of her mind, one of those few scraps of memories from Berk that she still cherished and held on to despite her antagonism.

…_Swim and sail on savage seas…ne'er a fear of drowning…_

"Come on love just one kiss is all I'm asking!"

Valka was torn away from pleasant thoughts from the overbearing demand to her left. A young man with long black hair and fresh, unrefined facial beard was reaching an arm towards the server girl who pulled away quickly and without hesitation. The musicians carried on, hands so well trained for the music that they could take their eyes away for several moments to observe the coming confrontation that from the look on others' faces Valka could tell was only going to be a repetition to the others.

"Come-"

"Sven you can shove your dick up any other damn thing you want but it isn't going in me so just quit it already!"

Valka hadn't heard such language in years, and the sudden, brash tone with which it was said startled her. She had forgotten just how direct some people could be, regardless of gender. Sven did not appear to care much for being addressed in such a way, and with a stern face reached out to grab the girl's arm, causing her to drop the empty tankard she had been carrying as she turned with shock to the demanding boy.

"Ah come now lass I've seen the way you eye me from time to time…I'm just trying to get you to stop looking and start feeling." With a burst of force Sven grabbed the girl and pushed her up against a support beam, taking her other hand and putting a tight grip on it. He pushed her against the wood and kept her body in place with the weight of his own as he drew her hand down and inward towards his crotch. "So start feeling what you look at then…"

Valka was saddened that it actually took her a few moments to register what was happening. When the conclusion did finally strike her after many years of never even thinking of such a thing, she felt as though her stomach were about to spontaneously contract and explode at the same time. Her heart began to race as she thought ahead as to what may befall this girl, the darkest possibilities of the human mind and body surging forward in her consciousness, bringing up pictures of the imagination that she had not had to consider for more than a decade.

_Oh gods…_

"Sven you-Sven you perverted bastard let me go this instant or I'll castrate you in your sleep!" She was squirming in his hold, lashing forward with the lower half of her legs and trying to knock his head with her own but finding nothing was working. Either Sven was immune to pain, drunk, overly determined, or any combination of the three.

"Haha…come on Ingrid you know you've been wanting all of this…why you got to fight it now?" He was starting to roll his body against her in slow, taunting thrusts, insulting the girl with the gesture of what could and very well may happen to her in less than public company. He pushed his head against her and started giving sloppy and incoherent kisses against her cheeks and lips, Ingrid fighting each one like they were harbingers of plague, foreign contaminants that she wanted no part of.

The rest of the men and-surprising Valka-the women remained aloof and only stared at the sight with at most a slight modicum of interest and at worst total apathy. The musicians carried on, equally disinterested in the awkward, violent occurrence between Sven and Ingrid that for the rest of the assembled was apparently not out of the ordinary nor of the greatest concern.

To them perhaps, but within Valka the hole of loneliness she felt was being replaced by a fire that was quickly spreading to her legs and arms, imbuing them with a strange, protective feeling she had not felt in quite this way since she had left Berk. Whatever conceptions and dismissive thoughts she had held about humans walking in here were being pushed aside as the fire raged on, consuming and destroying her withdrawn, reserved sentiments and replacing it with an energy that wanted to make her leap out of her seat. So she did.

"Enough!" She screamed louder than she thought possible, drawing the attention of the whole gathering including Sven and Ingrid who both showed a great deal of curiosity to this stranger who had suddenly disrupted what an outsider might perceive as a ritual. She charged forward, finger pointed and face contorting in a rage that was consuming the rational façade she tended to put on and replacing it with the deepest and most protective of all human emotions. "What do you think you're doing you spawn of Loki!?"

Sven still kept his tight grip on Ingrid but was transfixed in Valka, visibly unsure on how to react to anyone daring to interfere with his actions. "Uh…uh..."

"Who in Hel raised you!? What kind of people are you to let this girl be treated this way? You worthless bastards!" She pointed to all the others assembled, who did not show much of a care for her accusation and let her continue with bored, tired faces that only wanted to watch, not participate.

She stormed over to Sven-still in shock- and grabbed his arms, pulling her off of Ingrid and letting him go with a jolt. He was only starting to recover from his shock when Valka brought back an arm, clenched her hand into a fist and struck forward, smashing into Sven's cheek with enough force to send him back into the backs of two other men, who absorbed his weight without effort and shook him off, intent to let the situation go on as it was and to stay out of it.

Now fully understanding his circumstances, Sven put on a combative face, stroked his hair back and prepared for a fight, lunging forward with fist in the air. "You interloping bitch!"

After years of dodging startled Nadder spikes, more than her fair share of fireballs and considering herself quite agile in the air, Valka took a quick step back and let Sven lose himself in the momentum of his own strike, tumbling forwards as he overreached his arm. Valka followed him by launching a quick strike forward against his head again, after this driving him back against the post where Ingrid had previously been-the girl running out of the room at the first moment. She struck an elbow across his face and hit there several more times, not satisfied until she heard his nose break. When that strangely satisfying sound was heard, she broke away from her volleys and decided on one last demonstration of her strength, rage inhibiting any other concerns asides from her desire to show solidarity with this stranger that was Ingrid.

"Ah boys…always want somebody to play with them. Unfortunately for you…" She slammed a hand against his crotch, quickly tightening it and squeezing as hard as she could as she pinned his neck against the beam, just tight enough so that all his screams of pain and that certain agony known only to men came out as nothing but garbled growls and high pitched moans of suffering. "…I play rough."

"Naaa…ahhh…ahhh!"

"The Hel is going on in-you!" Valka quickly released her grip from both Sven's neck and nether regions and let the young man fall to the ground in a writhing agony as a deeper, respect commanding voice boomed out from behind them all. A tall man, once blonde hair in the process of conceding the last of its positions to grey had appeared from a back room, face stern and demonstrating that at least one of these people was capable of showing emotion. Valka took a few steps to the side, legs growing weak as a semblance of sane and reasonable thought once more overcame her. She was starting to panic on the inside as the man approached, worrying that she was in for a whole new kind of fight. She had acted foolishly like the human she was and was going to pay for it now at the hands of this man that she knew she could not beat in a head to head fight.

"Sven you dirty little perverted prick the Hel did I tell you about touching my daughter!?" Instead, Valka was treated like the shadow she on most other occasions tended to be as this furious father lunged at the young man, in for a whole new world of misery.

"Haakon I'm-"

"You shut your little whore making mouth you bastard and come apologize to my daughter or I'll chop off your dick and use it as dragon bait!" He swooped in and took Sven by the neck, dragging him up and pulling him back towards to entrance that he had come from, leaving the room in silence. The musicians got back to a new tune as though nothing had happened, once more bringing the assembled into a chorus of bangs in pace with the fast rhythm.

Valka wasn't sure what to say, think or do for the moment. In just a few short minutes she had just broken a young man's nose and probably destroyed his chances of having kids; all while in the midst of a rage she could only recall having felt once before, on that fateful night where she had drawn a sword against Cloudjumper to protect her son only to be snatched away to a new, better life. The fire within her had died down from an inferno of anger to a few embers of contentment; a smile was daring to break out on her lips at the thought of what she'd done to protect that girl-no matter how pushy she was in matters of ale. Ingrid was safe; this was all she could care about for the moment. Something had arisen within her, a conviction and sympathy for humans that she'd tried to repress for fifteen years but that was now bursting out with no way to control it.

She felt her heart beating frantically within her, alight with a pride and satisfaction for herself and her actions that was filling the void of emptiness, firming up into a new purpose that she knew she would come to understand the more she thought about it. Her body was beginning to pump out heat as the blood surged quickly through her, trying to recover the adrenaline that had been released in her brief, elevating fight.

Forcing herself to come out of her daze she realized that she was still surrounded by people that-despite them not seeming to care much about her one way or the other-she felt once more uncomfortable around. The pipe player was performing some intricate work in the upper register, and the shrill, piercing tones gave her the splash of reality she needed to survey her options. She had just assaulted a young man in a room full of half drunken people, humans who may at any instant break from their indecisiveness and strike back. She had acted irrationally in a group of irrational beings, she needed to escape. She eyed the door, the only one to do so as all still paid her no attention. She'd stopped in, had some human contact-even if a little more intimate than she'd have liked-and no felt the void filling. All she'd wanted to do was done, no purpose in being here. Time to get to the woods, find Cloudjumper and brave the cold on the way back to the nest a new and satisfied woman. She made for the door, entered into the cold and closed it softly, leaving the irrational ones inside.

Still within the womb of drunken conversation and lively music, a man unworthy of most anybody's attention leaned over a table to get the attention of a man with short blonde hair.

"What you say earlier is true? About warlord in Rus land?"

"Yes. Bad place to be right now. Very bad."

The man unworthy of notice took this in a moment with solemn expression, trying to understand the broader implications. "Mmh…war on Kiev is very impressive, sounds like this warlord has quite the army behind him."

"Yes indeed. Perhaps if Kiev falls he will continue North, conquer all of Rus land. This would be bad."

"Gods have pity…" The unworthy man was growing concerned, truly fearful of a great confrontation coming an isle as distant and removed as this one. The blonde one raised his tankard, intent to get the most out of his three silver pieces. The unworthy looking one spoke up again, an emotion almost strong enough to resemble genuine concern. "What if-Odin forbid such a thing-the warlord keeps moving North? None of the tribes could possibly be strong enough to deal with a man who conquers Kiev!"

The blonde paused with the tankard just below his lips, gathering his thoughts for a moment. With a low, content smile he uttered his last words before giving into the alluring taste of the ale, eyeing the freshly closed door.

"I think it is not the tribes that the warlord will have to fear…"

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

"I'm telling you it's not even close so just drop it already!"

"Not until you admit I'm right!"

"But you're not! That's the point!"

The sky is dark but clearing after a light shower. The air is cold and heavy, but slowly coming to demonstrate the traits of Spring with each passing day. The world was coming to show signs of life and prosperity as the snow melts and the rains continue. Hiccup wasn't sure how the Franks dealt with so much rain, but he understood them to be a hardy folk, so they must have gotten used to it by now. He and Astrid had taken a walk for the afternoon, preferring to observe the first budding trees of Spring from a ground level and at a slow pace. The rains that had followed them for over a week were abating for now, and they could see small patches of a pale blue opening up in the grey shroud.

"If you take away Mjölnir then what does he have? Nothing!"

"Járngreipr! Duh!"

The duration of their return trip to camp had been occupied with a furious argument over who would win in a head to head fight, Thor or Odin. Hiccup had been stupid enough to look up to the sky when a small rumble of thunder was heard in the distance and remarked on how "the almighty Thor was near." Astrid had followed up that he was probably running some task for Odin. Then the discussion on the roles of the gods was brought up, and from there everything just spiraled downhill as the argument gradually turned to who was the stronger. Hiccup was staying on the side of the god he had first invoked, almighty Thor who-if his deductions were correct-had to be the one who had sent the golden spirit to them in Wales. Astrid rebutted that if any god was going to send them a message, it would have to be Odin since he was the king of the gods and therefore strongest. She was very defensive about this matter, and so the debate continued as they crossed a fallow field rich with clover and wildflower.

"Thor only uses Járngreipr so that he can _lift_ Mjölnir! It doesn't mean that the two are of equal strength. If they were, why would he need a special hammer in the first place?"

"Uh…"

"Which then means that if Odin and Thor were to go at it in a fair fight, Odin would win."

"No! No not necessarily!" Hiccup stumbled forward a few paces ahead of Astrid, trying to keep her attention and walk backwards at the same time. He liked to think it was actually one of his strengths, how he could always maintain a straight line and walk backwards for much longer than anyone else without tripping or falling. If anything, he was better going backwards than forwards, typical to his name. "Let's just take into basic account the fact that Thor is just basically physically stronger than Odin. Like if it were an arm wrestle contest or something like that…Thor would win for sure!"

"Who says Odin _has to be_ weaker than Thor? Why is Thor all of a sudden the more muscular one?" Astrid gave him a playful grin as they began their ascent up the steep hill on which they had made camp, a small outcrop from the woods where Toothless had been left dozing in the cool, still air that is so conducive to rest and rejuvenation. An otherwise precarious position, but one they felt could be kept for the sake of a short walk on their part before they retired to a deeper part of the forest of the night to seek shelter in the thick canopy and within each other's arms. "Since Odin is the king of the gods, doesn't that make him the strongest? Why would anyone be king who isn't the strongest? If Thor was the strongest, wouldn't he be king then?"

"Uh…"

"And more so, if Odin and Thor were to fight…Odin would have access to all the warriors he keeps in Valhalla. Thor doesn-"

"Wait!" Hiccup nearly tripped over a rock but kept himself upright as he rebutted anew. "Now that's bringing outside elements into this! That's not fair!"

Astrid rolled her eyes at the protest as they came towards the crest of the hill, exasperated that the debate continued despite her conviction that it should have never been an issue to speak of in the first place. "Look…if we're going to evaluate the two of them we should evaluate all that they have available to them is all."

"No! No we were talking about a one on one battle and now you're trying to drag other things into this to support your argument that you_ know_ is faulty!"

"I'm not trying to support a faulty anything! I'm only trying…to…to…" She stammered off as they reached the top of the hill where they indeed found Toothless, but with another human sitting across from him, cross legged and attentive. Both turned their attention to the boy and girl that had interrupted them in what appeared like a decorous, civilized conversation.

Astrid quickly reached for her knife sheathed at her side, only stopping when Hiccup's quick hand gripper her wrist and pleaded with his eyes for a moment of civility and interpretation. "Uh…Toothless, explain please?"

The dragon closed his eyes a moment and nodded his head, understanding the confusion.

_::Ah yes, I see. Hiccup, Astrid this is Jacques. I was in the midst of dozing when he came upon me and woke me up, the annoying little thing he is. He showed an innocent curiosity at me, and so I established a bond of communication with him. We have been talking since whilst you were on your walk. He is a curious little mind but still pleasant to analyze…in the way that amusing oneself at the erratic behavior of lower species is pleasant of course.::_

Jacques stood up, shorter than Hiccup and with untrimmed brown hair that came down to his shoulders. His face was pale but had streaks of mud that ran across his cheeks. He was thin but appeared overly so, perhaps famine struck. He gave rapid bows and nods of his head to Hiccup and Astrid, trying to distinguish himself as best he could.

"B-Bonjour a tous."

_::He says hello to both of you.::_

The dragon's tone was dry and ambivalent, showing no great concern for the other human as the boy kept his head down and gaze away from them all. He looked nervous and perhaps the recipient of some recent hardship, hollow on the inside and cautious of being hopeful about much of anything.

_::He has told me that he is in a state of wander. His village had been burned down a week ago in the valley beyond the horizon.::_

"Burned down? How?" Astrid questioned, going right about the process of collecting information. Hiccup continued to stare at the boy, analyzing his posture. He was probably a few-maybe four-years younger than himand bore an eerie resemblance in body, with strong cheekbones and freckles. His arms were lanky, devoid of any mass by virtue of both starvation and overall poor physique. He resembled a startled lamb, cast out into a brutal world he was not ready for.

_::He says that on opposite sides of the valley there are two large series of fortifications…he refers to them by this strange word of "castle". The controllers of these castles have been in a state of conflict for many years, sending warriors of the singular and in large groups to do battle for control of the valley at varying points. This season has seen a great escalation of hostilities and due to this his village-under the control of one castle-was raided and destroyed by men from the other. He says the war is incessant and increasingly destructive, that each castle wants nothing but total control of the other or to risk total destruction in the process.::_

"Il est vrai et tragique, la grâce de Dieu nous abandonnés ."

"Wait how-how can you understand him Toothless? Isn't he-"

_::The same way I can communicate with you. Your spoken language is only a process by which creatures without a mind as strong as mine communicate. Our thoughts are all the same so I can simply communicate with them alone, and so bypass the barrier of language.::_

"Huh…how convenient." Hiccup quipped as Astrid approached Jacques, trying to appear unthreatening and calm. The spiked skirt and armored shoulder guards weren't helping and the boy shied away, as terrified of the girl as he may have been a berserk warrior. His legs were thin and trembling. Hiccup looked to his own for comparison, and found that-while not knocking knees together in fear-were as equally lanky and boyish. Infuriating.

"Hey-hey it's alright kid I'm not going to-Toothless tell him I'm friendly."

_::So lie?::_

"Whatever you have to do…" She huffed, knowing that a violent outburst to scold the dragon for his remark was only going to scare the already nervous Frankish boy.

_::Remain in easy spirits my young friend, the female means you no harm.::_

Astrid tried to lean in, to get the boy to look at her. He took a few steps back, shaking his head but trying to be as respectful as possible.

"Non." He went on more in his strange, slurred tongue which harkened back to an empire long lost and remembered only in nostalgic memory.

_::He says something about it being bad fortune to be too close to other travelers. His now dead mother always told him that, and he shall apparently honor her memory accordingly.::_

"Oh…" Astrid back away, eyes open and skin hot at the morbid translation, unbecoming of the otherwise young, innocent face that should not have to feel such pain. "Well…what about the castles? Where are they?"

A moment passed when Toothless relayed the message to Jacques, the boy replying with more of his laced together and delicately constructed speech before stopping, bidding the dragon to translate.

_::He says that if we were to fly directly towards those hills in the distance that the valley is the broad area beyond them and stops at the hills on the far side. Flying along the valley will bring up either of the castles on opposite ends. There are nine other villages within the valley, his and two others have already been destroyed and he fears that if the fighting continues the way it has been then all are at great risk of being destroyed in the coming weeks.::_

"Alright…but why are these castles fighting in the first place?" Hiccup asked, still absorbing the full characteristics of the boy. He was reminded so much of himself, and yet he felt a growing uneasiness within his soul the more this fact became known. He did not hate himself, yet he hated this physical silhouette of himself that kept his head away from Astrid, who cowered at the very presence of other people and who was fleeing destruction an abandoned refugee. It was pathetic. Yet he couldn't _not_ imagine himself being in a similar situation given the circumstances, and that only infuriated him more. In his contemplation Jacques had once more spoken, Astrid showing a gentle curiosity at the strange language that leaped away from the boy's high voice.

_::He says that many years ago an apparition of a…holy virgin?...appeared to a village near the center of the valley. The villagers then created a shrine to give proper reverence to this figure and peoples under the control of both castles were allowed visitation to it. However, one day the castle on the Eastern half of the valley-which controlled the village from the start-started demanding tolls for entrance to the sight. The castle on the Western side insisted that this was immoral, and so the conflict began. However, since neither side has the resources to overpower the other, the conflict has persisted for many years and only now that both are enjoying increased prosperity, raids and duels have become so common that it threatens to destroy the valley.::_

"Huh…strange." Hiccup muttered, trying to make sense of the customs and beliefs of this strange land. Astrid looked out to the two other hills in the distance, no more than a few minutes flight from their current position by certainly several days of travel by foot for a young boy without shoes or guidance; the poor, dejected creature. He rubbed his arm, nodding at what he was probably hearing in his mind as a perfectly constructed sequence of sentences in his language and affirming them eagerly, probably marveling at the sophistication at which his own description was being told back to him.

"I'll say." Astrid turned back towards Jacques, still trying to appear innocent and unthreatening. She really did not like how she came off as some demon to smaller ones. First Ashling and now this Frank. Was she really so terrifying to children? Was it her face? The sense of importance she tried to show off? The armored skirt? "So Jacques…where are you going now? What will you do?" She was fearful her mouth would start to pucker if she tried to sound any sweeter, but it was the only trick she knew to appearing demur and innocent to others.

The Frank went on a moment in his dancing, rolling language that harkened to moments of glory from long ago and yet to come in the future. Toothless translated with interest in his eye and thought.

_::He says that with the valley in chaos he shall head Southwards towards another castle he knows of. There is a distant relative there who he believes can take him under a tutelage to make him into a…squire?...whatever that is. It is a good while distant from here, but he says he shall make the travel in good spirits and with God's grace. Apparently he only favors one…what the others have to warrant his favoritism he does not say.::_

Jacques nodded again, now cracking a proud, determined smile. Whatever his goal in life, he was a soul that was resolute in achieving it regardless of hardship or negative circumstance. Once more he spoke, short and to the point and quickly translated by the omni-linguistic reptile.

_::He wishes all of us the grace of this God and the past mentioned and fateful holy virgin in our travels. He insists on taking his leave so that he may get beyond the other hills opposite us by night fall. He hopes that our paths will cross again at some point in time or in some other world…not quite sure what he is getting at here.::_

The boy abruptly started forward, giving Hiccup and Astrid some last, hopeful looks as he tried to leave.

"Wait!" Astrid yelled a moment, stopping the boy as he turned to see what was wrong. She went to their travel basket and rummaged through it a quick moment withdrawing some cheese they had stolen from an unsuspecting village a yesterday. The way they reasoned it, if you left a wheel of perfectly good cheese out in the open, it meant it was for the taking. The French could be so generous at times.

"Here." She placed the protein in his hands, the boy looking up at her incredulously as he smelled the cheese and smiled at the dry, properly aged aroma.

"Merci jolie." He whispered in excitement before again turning away and heading down the hill the way Astrid and Hiccup had come up from earlier. He was already taking bites out of large chunk of food as he made a quick pace down towards the field. Astrid stared at him as he scampered away to fate unknown, Hiccup joining her a moment as a wet, heavy wind kicked up; giving waves and motion to the grass and flower they had stumbled through to get up here.

"Wow…poor kid."

"Yeah." Astrid sighed with resignation, saddened by the sweet boy's departure but trying to get over this fact quickly. Hiccup soon diverted his gaze away from the wandering French boy to her, forcing a reaction after staring long enough.

"What? He looked hungry and Freya knows when he'll eat again…and we can _always_ get food. Just a little something to send him on his way is all." She retorted with stubbornness before turning her gaze away from the disappearing Frank and walked back over to Toothless, who watched the two humans with ambivalence, already reminiscing on his pleasant conversations with the young boy. "So…what do you say? Keep trying to find some mountains or better hills around here or set up where we are and relax the rest of the day?"

Hiccup took a moment to respond, staring at the fading figure of Jacques, the boy that was fleeing a destruction inevitable for many. The wind escalated again, laden with moisture that would either pass them by or once more deluge them as had often been the case whilst they had been in Frank lands. This lanky, cowardly boy that had no other options but to flee the cause of his pain, without the capacity to confront it.

"Hiccup?" Astrid called, growing curious to his lack of response. Toothless had redirected his attention towards the boy, as equally interested in his suddenly solemn demeanor.

_::Hic-::_

"We have to end this." He muttered to the wind, the strong breeze carrying the words to girl and dragon. He turned to face them, newly resolute and bursting with a spontaneous conviction. "If what he says is true then there are going to be a lot more innocent people caught up in this fight. We can't let this happen."

"Why not?" Astrid asked bluntly, not seeing where his care for assorted French strangers was suddenly coming from. "Why should we?"

_::We have neither impetus nor cause for an action as you describe. What purpose does it serve us to interfere in these affairs?::_

"And besides…you actually mean we're just going to go storming into some giant forts and starting killing warriors whenever we see them? Us? You?" Astrid knew she was being a little derisive, but when it came to sparing them all from a pointless and possibly dangerous undertaking she would spare no mercy or nicety. Hiccup stood as tall as he could, brushing off the gibe at his strength and determined to make his case in a convincing way.

"We don't have to _kill_ anybody! It's just…all we have to do is give these castles a new target. If they all of a sudden start getting attacked by a _dragon_ of all things, maybe they'll stop their feuding and focus on a new target. All we've got to do is just make our presence known and maybe hit a few guard towers and then…problem solved I guess."

"But it's not our problem! That's the point!"

"Yeah well maybe it isn't but-but isn't it _right_?" Toothless and Astrid looked at him dumbfounded a moment, trying to grasp where this concept was coming from. "If the risk is minimal to us…which considering-Toothless-how well we fly with you and since we would of course only attack at night, why shouldn't we try to help these people and put an end to this fighting?"

Astrid had opened her mouth to retort, but caught herself in silence with nothing to say.

_::Does the dragon that you are intending to use in this endeavor get a say in this?::_

Hiccup was caught a moment in an exposed area of his argument, but nodded to himself as he devised a new reason. "Well bud, Dwynwen did say that we should be prepared for whatever destiny has in store for us right? So it would make sense for us to start preparing early right? What better way than to raid fortresses of all things?"

_::Very logical…I both hate and like you for that.::_

"I know you do. Astrid?" He looked to her, expecting another retort to which he would again have to overcome. Instead, he found her smiling, a grin of satisfaction and dare he think appreciation for him. She turned to look over towards the hills, beyond which lay the fortresses and valley of innocents. She brought her hands together and cracked her knuckles, giving a heavy sigh.

"Mmh…well if destiny wants it…I suppose some combat training couldn't hurt." She gave a laugh as she finished, turning back to him. "So we're going to go on raids huh? From against dragons to with them?"

"Uh…yeah well I mean when you put it that way it-" He was stopped when Astrid raised an open palm to him, smiling and contemplating a new form of entertainment for the foreseeable future. Her grin was starting to contemplate the use of training that had for months now gone mostly unused. They would have to be altered a little, but at long last more than half decade of practice was about to be put to the test.

"So, let's go see who's the stronger…Frank or Viking.

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

"Just hold still!"

"But it tickles!

"I know but…come on just a little bit longer." Astrid closed an eye to get a better perspective on Hiccup's face. Her thumb traced the curves of his nose, one of the more difficult areas to cover. The small clump of charcoal was running low, though there was plenty more that could be salvaged from a hastily made fire. Another separate fire was lit for to give them light for the application, having waited until sundown to start the preparations.

"Almost done…"

Hiccup really was a curious sight for now, and as far as Astrid was concerned a humorous one to look at. His eyes and lips were still visibly white and pink respectively. The rest of his face however was blending in with the night, colored nearly the same as Toothless' ebony scales. His hair remained the usual auburn, hanging off his head in randomly assorted strands that were a reminder to both that the black disguise was only that. Beneath the veneer of darkness and nocturnal malice, there was still a nervous boy who couldn't stay still when Astrid's hands were on his face. His neck was also covered, as were the backs of his hands, creating a contrast of white skin and black camouflage that fascinated Hiccup. He had never been done up in night raid attire before-few on Berk ever were since outgoing raids to other villages were an increasing rarity. It gave him an odd sense of power, to be one with the night in appearance yet no different on the inside.

"There!" She pulled away, throwing the last bit of charcoal to the ground and smiling at her artistry in the shifting illumination of the fire. Hiccup pouted.

"Alright…does it look good? I can't see it."

"Are you _doubting_ my abilities?"

"No! No…no…I'm just-just… you know what never mind! I'm sure it looks fantastic!"

"That's what I thought." Astrid brought her fists to her hips and cocked her head to the side. "Freya…I'm good."

Hiccup gave a playful smile before reaching up to his face as an itch rose on his nose. Astrid bounded forward and grabbed his hand.

"No! You'll smear it and then it won't be as effective!" She pulled his hand down and rolled her own hands down his arms, trying to keep him still. "Just-just the sooner you get through with this the sooner you can take it off. I've worn this stuff once; I know it can be uncomfortable."

"Alright." He whispered, taking her advice to heart. He honestly didn't want to take it off, the sense of authority and surreal, otherworldliness that being one with the night gave him was an intoxicating and alluring feeling, one he wasn't sure he'd ever want to give up. "So Toothless, what do you think?"

The dragon had been watching them the entire time, quiet as he examined the application of the burned wood and ash that transformed Hiccup from a pale boy who enjoyed the day into a dark, mysterious creature whose proper home could only be in the most primeval of nights.

_::It is indeed flattering to be imitated.::_

"Yeah I'm sure it is…" Hiccup groaned, rolling his eyes as he looked pack to Astrid, face still the virgin white of Northern heritage. She was quiet but taking a long, strained breath as she worked up the proper words she wanted to say.

"You-you're _sure_ you'll be alright? We have more charcoal; I can come with you if you want."

"We've been over this. If I attack one castle and you attack another, then they will think that there's _two_ Night Furies around here, that's bound to draw their attention. We'll take turns each night for a while, make sure that they get totally devoted to searching for us and start working together…stop fighting each other."

He was trying to appear as brave and collected as possible, but his legs were still struggling to keep him upright. There was so much that could go wrong during this. One lucky arrow, a bad turn, or some young kid who'd invented a bolas launcher…all possibilities were on the table. Still, he'd insisted on taking the first turn since this had been his crazy idea in the first place. His opening glimpse into the chaos of battle was attacking a fortification of Franks for the sake of innocent lives in a valley that-asides from a cursory analysis earlier that day to get their bearings on where the castles were-he knew nothing about.

"I know…just-just making sure." She grumbled, knowing how sappy and emotional it must have sounded. Regardless, her sentiment was true and they could both feel it, a sense of concern to be separate during these trying events.

"That's…that's alright Astrid." He whispered as he felt his palms grow sweaty and his whole body uncomfortable, turning to weakness when he needed them to be strong. He knew he couldn't wait forever. The night was growing deeper and would soon be at its fullest. The cloud cover was strong for now but might break soon enough. He would eventually have to leave safety, but the feeling of Astrid so close to him after she had touched his face with such care and precision was so comforting, so secure that he felt leaving it would be like throwing off a blanket to a cold winter morning, raw and uncomfortable.

Astrid looked up at him longingly, knowing exactly what he was feeling and that the time had come to bid a short, painful goodbye. He was resplendent in his camouflage, transformed from a weak and clumsy boy into a warrior by her own handiwork. He was someone else, something she had created and couldn't take her eyes off of. He was strong and confident, a fearless creature of the wild, untamed night. There was something new to him, something he gave off that she couldn't quite explain, but it was drawing her in towards that darkness, to totally embrace the ebony figure in appreciation for his valiance.

She leaned towards him, and with careful consideration for his disguise placed a kiss on his lips, holding onto it for a moment longer than usual, trying to implant the feeling on herself. She was not yet ready to succumb to the pull, but she wanted a taste of it, a token by which to remember this sudden infatuation with this stunning shadow she had created. She pulled away slowly, dreading the distance put between her and this desire and cursing her own sense of discipline. Hiccup's expression was in the last desperate efforts to conceal his nervousness, his racing heart from Astrid's gesture wasn't helping that any.

"Well I should-"

"Yeah."

With a nod Hiccup finally mustered the determination to move away from her, Toothless walking around the fire and towards the boy-having been ready and anxiously waiting for the better part of the evening for this to get underway.

_::I have sent my wishes to the Moon Goddess, she shall protect us…even if her presence escapes us this night.::_

"Good to know." Hiccup scrambled on top of the dragon, hooking himself in making sure the saddle was still in good order. There was no reason why it shouldn't have been, but the trembling nerves present in his body made being obsessive about things acceptable. He cracked his knuckles and drew a deep breath of the cool night air. "You ready bud?"

_::I had never considered myself NOT ready…you on the other hand-::_

"Yeah we're ready!" Hiccup gave a light, mostly playful kick to the dragon's side as Astrid gave him a final look over.

"Be safe." She called to him from the other side of the campfire, giving him a look of confidence and assurance to bolster whatever wavered beneath the formless veneer.

"I will." He asserted, straightening his back and trying to appear as valiant as possible. Astrid gave him a last, confident smile, admiring the dark phantom she had created,

"Go get 'em."

With this last demand Toothless bounded up into the sky, infusing himself into the ebony realm that was his home and greatest ally. The air was cold and brutal, still not as warm as it would be in the summer when night flying was destined to be a glorious and joyous affair. If nothing else forced them to make this raid quick, nature itself would certainly do so. The dragon straightened out his course after a brief ascension and began his way towards the valley, not very long a distance by flight at all.

The air rushed by him quickly, whispering voices that beckoned forth the songs and stories of the great heroes, bolstering his courage and convincing him he was going to be alright. If so many had gone into battle with dragons and won, then surely he could take on a few sentries on dragon back under cover of night. This was what he told himself, and be it true or false it was what he needed. The ground below was a dark, unrecognizable surface without form or characteristic, a sea of darkness parallel to the one in which he flew. Silence pervaded between himself and Toothless, knowing that the dragon was not exactly thrilled about what was perceived as a pointless and illogical course of action. All the more impetus for Hiccup to go about this task as smoothly as possible, lest he endure a long, dry rant by the dragon about what was the rational course of life.

From the periphery of his vision he could see small ember-like glows, the guard towers of the Western castle and the torches that lined its walls. It was a square structure, with a single, tall outer wall with rounded battlements on either side, lined with stone outgrowths that resembled teeth that were established every few lengths away from each other. In the center was a large battlement, likewise made of stone and with torches visible near any doorway or window. Wooden towers for observation and archers were visible both inside and outside the main wall, providing defense in depth for any besieged force. It made sense considering the long standing state of affairs between the castles that they would be so well built up. If there were one thing that the Franks understood, it was war.

With his near omniscient view Hiccup could see that the walls sported more than a few guards, wrapped in chainmail and wielding spears, going about their duty in a tired and bored manner, knowing that like most every night there would be nothing to report and nothing to do. The towers looked devoid of any manner of defender or guard, the perfect opening target and without any danger to Hiccup or others. Time to get on with the show.

"You ready Toothless? How does that tower near the left battlement sound for an opening blow?"

_::Oh it has indeed been a while since I have brought destruction by my will…the choice is acceptable.::_

The dragon banked around slightly to get in a better angle to strike before arching its back and tucking in its wings, descending rapidly as Hiccup switched the pedal to the neutral position and closed his eyes, the wind growing too formidable for him to keep them open. He put his trust in Toothless, whose descent began to create his notorious shriek. Hiccup could feel the dragon's body heating up beneath him, surging with energy as the beast readied his fire, taking aim and keeping a straight path as the screams of confusion from the Franks below grew increasingly audible.

"Furie Nocturne!"

"Descendez!"

_::Prepare to switch to the ascender...::_ The dragon was still calm and confident despite the coming cataclysm, the wail growing to an almost unbearable level to Hiccup as it surrounded him with an air of high pitched agony, mingling with the rushing wind and joining in his ear as though someone was scratching at his lobes, digging their nails right into his drum and tempting to puncture it. It grew to its apex, the dragon beneath Hiccup growing hotter and hotter until he feared it was going to burn through his legs. Then, with one quick release both heat and noise dispersed.

_::Now!::_

On instinct Hiccup clicked the pedal into the right position and the dragon's wings extended, sending them on a sharp, acute course back upward as the Franks continued to scream amongst themselves at the violet flash that had appeared from out of the darkness. Hiccup looked back and found that the tower had easily been set ablaze, catching like kindling as soldiers and other rallied inhabitants of the castle were looking up into the sky with wonder and fear, frantically trying to find the phantom that had done this.

"Well it looks like that got their attention!" Hiccup yelled in a frenzied joy. He was alive! Granted there were still a few more towers that could be hit, but so far a good start. He was amused at the scrambling Franks who were rushing for buckets of water as the tower began to lean on one of its support beams before the top began to topple down in an orange blaze; scorched ruins no longer with function or value.

_::So much fuss over some stacked up wood. Why do humans care so much for that which can be so easily replaced?::_

"I don't know bud…but why don't we go give them some more stuff to replace?" There were still seven towers standing, a few archers were scrambling towards two of these, leaving five more perfect targets. Just one more would do for the night, having given the Franks more than enough evidence that there was a phantom stalking them. All they needed to do was give them a taste of chaos for now, and keep prodding them along for a while. Utter destruction would be too tiresome and inconsistent with their goal.

_::Well now looks who is suddenly confident and eager?::_

"Yeah…well can you blame me?"

_::Yes. Who else is there to?::_

Hiccup scratched at the rim of his hair and groaned, before beginning to laugh at himself. He had just begun a campaign against an entire encampment of warriors and was getting ready to go in for another strike, and the most annoying thing to him was not the wind, nor the threat of being struck down by an arrow guided by fate, but the dry candor of his friend. Perhaps being an aggressive warrior on the ground had never been his calling or his strength, but in the dark, enveloping shroud of night, unseen in the cold of the skies, he had never been more imbued with confidence or purpose. If nothing else this adventure would give him that, and if nothing else he would consider that a victory in its own right.

"What do you say bud? Ready for strike number two?"

_::This is all still horribly illogical, but I will concede that I am enjoying this.::_

"So is the all wise and logical Toothless finally doing something irrational and _liking _it?"

_::On the contrary, if I am enjoying it then that must mean that it is in fact logical.::_

"Ugh…you just can't let me win can you?"

_::Asides from letting you easily destroy fortifications, no I cannot.::_

"Speaking of which…"

_::Yes yes on it!::_

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

**Hello Peoples!**

**Whew! Laptop was out of commission for one day this week, but I still got this chapter done. I am trying to give an origins story for Valka, as I feel that her character during isolation would have to undergo some sort of event to begin caring about the outside world again. Is it effective? I really want to develop her character as I feel it really had much room for improvement in the second movie. She really is a great character, and be assured she will fleshed out well in this story as it develops.**

**Overall thoughts on the chapter and reviews appreciated as always. I'll now have a full six days as standard for the next chapter as opposed to five, so if you found the quality of this installment wanting I guarantee next week shall be better. With that said, I'll see you all next week!**

**-Mc.**


	15. Out Of The Shadows

By dim torchlight-a forever dying ember of life that keeps the terrors of night relegated to the imagination, a guard walks along the edge of a high stone wall. He holds his spear tightly, forgoing a shield as it would only mean added weight. Still, this guard sentry can concede that having such a thing would be a welcome layer of protection in the enveloping ebony of night. There are many others like him, wrapped in layers of chainmail and leather with simple conical helmet who patrol this barrier to the outside.

He looks up to the stars, not with the childish wonder for the celestial tapestry that is the map of travelers, but with fear. The heavens above had once been an object of neutrality, forever distant from the guard as the domain of God, who had so far bestowed his grace on the virtuous and had protected this guard for his whole life. The sky was supposed to be an object of wonder, the residence of the angels who guide the righteous to Heaven when the time has come. The heavens were supposed to be a place of peace, where the heavenly hosts watched the children of God go about their lives and stood ready to do battle with the agents of the Devil that tempt and torment men's souls.

Now the stars brought only pain and destruction. Every other night there would be an outline against the stars, a black phantom that was forever out of reach or perception, comprised of ether and gossamer-seemingly unphysical. From out of the darkness, from the depths of the once benevolent heavens came a demon of black, who roared with the fury of Hell as it descended, leaving nothing but violet chaos in its wake.

At first they had thought it had been some kind of magic, that the opposing castle had reduced itself to the level of blasphemous sorcery to gain an upper hand in the two decade long duel of will and arms. It was only when representatives of both castles had arrived at the middle of the valley with the urge to talk that they learned that both domains were under the assault of this nightmare, that the Devil was up to his old tricks to make the faith of the righteous wane. That had been two weeks ago, and still the attacks continued with hardly any rest.

There stood no more wooden towers, those had been the first targets and were all now piles of useless, charred logs. Then the walls had come under fire, in many places bearing marks of the fire they had endured and at the weaker points in fact showing holes and marks of serious damage that would have to be repaired once the onslaught abated. When that could be, the sentry did not know. Many suspected that this was but the opening skirmish to a greater assault, the wearing down of their defenses before the attack began. The castle priest had claimed to holy visions that the events of Revelation were upon them, that the army of Lucifer was on the march and that this bastion of the righteous would be a great target for the legions of the wicked. While the guard doubted that the events of the end time were here just yet, the current circumstances were still their own particular version of Hell.

The guard stood beneath the emblem of the fortress, the colors of his lord's household that despite all that had happened remained resolutely defiant against the night. Majestic white and gold, a beautiful combination that spoke to the virtue and honor that all that followed the lord's guidance knew themselves to have. Not like the other castle, who brandished a disgusting combination of blue and black that was nothing more than an affirmation of their lack of chivalry or honor- the heathens. The silk-a rare luxury acquired specially for use in the banner-waved slowly in the breeze, tempting the sentry to let his guard down for the moment, to enjoy the sight of the stars once more and to reach out and touch the banner, to secretly enjoy its exotic feel that told tales of faraway places where the Word was still to reach. So far away like the stars above, where darkness passed over them and began to descend, screaming with the wrath of Hell itself.

And so they began again. The guard held his spear up and tried to distinguish the demon from the night's canopy, the others doing the same and looking to each other in anxiety. The nightmare had never gone after any one person directly-which they found rather strange-but there were still a few cases of accidental burns, large splinters of wood, shrapnel from the walls and other injuries that came with the chaos the attacks brought out. The scream reached its apex and so was discharged the violet flash of destruction, which smashed against one of the four stone round towers and brought down several large stones, finally revealing the inside of the structure to all-it would only take a few more hits like that now for the entire tower to begin crumbling.

"Où est-il?!"

All tried to see where the demon had gone as the silence of the night returned, mingled with the frantic screaming of other guards and people as the alarm was raised. Archers readied arrows and looked upwards, trying to see something to draw their strings and attack. Crossbows were loaded and aimed, swords and maces drawn and all hands called out for battle. The scream began, darkness descending within darkness as another flash struck up, this time striking the main keep and extinguishing one of the large torches that had been lit to try and deny the nocturnal predator its luxury of invisibility.

"Abandonnez les murs! Formez les rangs avec les archers et tirez !"

The guard held a fear that such a plan that they had been attempting the past two attacks was foolish, suicidal perhaps. The officers had decided that since the demon was not directly attacking anyone and was instead going for the walls, that if all soldiers took to strong ranks in the courtyard their combined vision could help spot the creature and guide the missile equipped troops in their aim to take down their tormenter. So far it had not worked and had only led to a pointless misuse of ammunition that had at points nearly come down upon the soldier's heads, causing more injury to themselves than their intended target. The guard nonetheless followed his orders-he would still rather a wayward bolt dent his helmet than suffer the wrath of his superiors.

He made for the nearest round towers, where the stairs would lead downward to the courtyard, spear held tight and heart racing as the shriek started again, this time rather close to him. He picked up his pace as he neared the battlement, the roar growing in intensity. Even the most stoic and reserved of warriors could not deny that the wail summoned something from within the deepest recesses of the subdued animal that was man, a creature that knew better than to rush into danger, that only wanted to run and hide until the wrath of the otherworld went away and left man alone in the peace of careless existence.

Sliding his spear through the low doorway the guard scrambled down the spiral stairs that led down to the base of the tower, sliding out as the shriek reached its apex. Sweat of fear was beginning to collect at his hands and along his brow, a terror within his soul screamed that danger was quickly coming and to seek cover. Feeling the darkness approaching behind him the guard abandoned his confidence and threw his spear to the ground, leaping down to the dirt and cowering like a child, the evil of the darkness surging behind him. The Devil had come to take his soul; Hell awaited the sinner and came on the wings of the night!

The violent flash struck ahead of him, striking some boxes and barrels of food storage. Once more the pain would come not directly from the creature, but with the procession of time. A gust of wind rushed above the guard, the nightmare made physical soaring past him and coming to a rapid, sliding halt against the ground. Had a soldier managed a lucky shot? Was the terror subdued?

The guard raised his head and looked into the darkness-the quickly spreading fire of the ignited stores giving only the most barely beneficial light for him to see. Shifting in the darkness the terror stalled, not making any sound save the adjustment of its short, seldom made grip on the earth. Against the background of flickering destruction something removed itself from the beast, standing bipedal and proud in the disguise of the night. The guard felt he should raise the alarm, should scream for crossbowmen to strike at this rare opportunity. Perhaps it was the shock of the recent strike, the daze of his leap to the ground and the surreal visions that skirted on the border of reality in front of him, but he could not bring himself to manage much of any noise as the biped approached, going for his spear which lay out of his reach.

He looked up to the phantom, which leaned down and picked up the spear, adjusting and sizing the weapon up in its hand. _Hand?_ The guard tried to straighten his vision, to get a better look at this demon that had taken human form. He adjusted his arm, but the sound on the grass alerted the person to his conscious presence. It turned its head quickly, trying to see if there was a threat to be had. It brandished blonde hair that shimmered like the sun, yet had a face that was coated in the very hue of the night itself. Leathers tassels with metal studs flowed down from the waist; clothing and piercing, azure eyes were all that could be seen against the dark skin that melded into the darkness. The two stared at each other a moment, curious as to the others actions in this surreal scenario.

"Eh…"

"Y at-il quelque chose de là-bas?"

A call came from further down the courtyard, drawing both guard and phantasm's attention for a moment. They both looked to each other again, knowing that their quick moment of analysis and fascination had come to an end.

"Ikke dårlig, jeg tar den."

The voice was surprisingly feminine, and as her body shifted the guard could just make out what looked like the outlines of breasts in her swaying, phantom body. She took his spear and went back to the vague outline of black that she had flown in and quickly the apparition was back into the sky, one with the night and any opportunity to strike at it probably lost. More soldiers in the distance were yelling orders and inquiring as to a possible location, the sky growing quiet in time as they came to realize no more strikes were occurring. Pushing himself up in this isolated part of the courtyard, the guard looked up at the stars, where no silhouette streaked across the sky and every sphere of light was once more allowed to shine in docile, unimpeded luminescence.

His spear was gone; he would have to explain that somehow to his officer whenever they next met. The alarm was soon lowered; the men calmed their nerves as the night returned to its serene, gentle nature. There was now only fire and the efforts by all to put them out. Tomorrow the walls would once more be surveyed, the food stores accounted for and the wounded given attention. The priests would lead them in prayers to lift their souls; the musicians would sing songs to lift their spirits. The guard had survived another night, the Devil had not yet taken him, nor was he sure that such a thing was now possible. He would have to find a way to explain what he had seen without appearing to inept or irresponsible, but at least now they could have a better semblance of what they were fighting, what the Devil-or the Almighty had sent against them as torture or as punishment; women on the backs of demons.

God have mercy on their souls.

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

"Row curse you row!"

For Eret, the son and descendent of many Erets long past, life had taken a remarkable turn for the worse.

"When your arms fall off you can rest! Saints dare and hold me back if your relax!"

A large man, shirtless and proudly showing off his superior muscles walked up and down the low platform in which they sat, whip in hand and large knife at the side. Eret sat with a stranger-a man with once pale skin that had been tanned by years at sea who hailed from the land of the Angles. They two of them clasped on to a large wooden pole that extended out through a hole in the side of the ship and down into the waters. The two of them-despite the total lack of communication the language barrier had erected between them- had enough sense and strength to pull back on the oar in a wide, circular motion. They were consistent and in synch with each other, knowing that servitude and compliance were the best and only worthy option for now.

There were ten pairs on either side, a total of forty men that learned to row in a mostly harmonious manner. There had a been a few who'd fought back at first, but they were now at the bottom of the ocean, bound to trouble none but fish after their throats were slit and they were thrown overboard for disobedience. Half of Eret's crew were among them, being too proud and too strong willed to ever submit to the lashes and demands of the men that had captured them. It was a brave decision. Brave and futile.

All other ships Eret had ever encountered were to varying degrees captained by genial and respectful men, people who knew how tough life could be at sea and who ascribed to the notion that they were all in this together, that at sea no man was to be treated like an enemy-lest one be treated like an enemy himself. When this ship of foreign and strange design had met his own near the domain of the Jutes, he had thought that he would be dealing with another well tempered captain who would offer advice on nearby waters and offer surplus food were Eret's ship in need.

Instead, the ship had barreled on towards his own without intent to pull alongside or giving any indication of hospitality. Eret had been so dumbfounded by the rash action that he had only looked on bewildered as the galley approached, his men desperately asking him what to do as the vessel closed in, betraying every law of navigation and decency. By the time he realized their true actions it was too late to catch a wind or man the oars to get out of the way, and the bronze battering ram at the front of the vessel had nearly smashed his own apart, killing two of his men right then and there. A few men with shield and axe had leapt aboard, demanding they drop whatever weapons they had and to submit right then and there. With shame and surprise they had done so, knowing that they were in no position to fight back.

Eret, being the fool that he was to suppose that this could still be talked out had requested to speak with the captain of the vessel. Instead he received only ridicule and chains. Four more of his men had tried to stand up to their bondage, and had been killed in the aforementioned manner and left for the predators of the sea. The people that had taken them were of dark skin but not from the land of eternal sun that lay at the bottom of the world. They spoke a language with an ancient history, whose linguistic contrails spoke to glorious ages of both the sword and the mind. They wore the symbol of the great faith and would mention words that Eret could vaguely recall from talking to priests, but resentment was growing within him that men who claim to be followers of the Merciful One could ever partake in an action.

They were taken below deck to find that all the benches with rowers were full. The remaining five of them were curious as to what they were supposed to do, and vainly hoped that they would be spared from labor while there were no seats to take. Instead, five of the weakest and most malnourished looking ones were removed from their seats and room was made for Eret and company. The five weak ones were taken above deck, and a few moments later an equal number of heavy splashes were heard in the waters outside. They quickly learned that strength and compliance were going to be necessary to survive this ordeal.

For two weeks now he had sat next to this Angle, rowing in time with the German who never seemed to make a noise of pleasure or pain. From sunup till sunset they pulled, with the occasional break for when the winds picked up or the disgraces of Christ followers showed mercy if just for the sake of keeping them alive so that they could keep rowing later on. During the nights they slept communally on the small floor space that divided the rows of benches, without privacy or comfort. One of Eret's men who sat two benches in front of him was looking weaker by the day. He could barely be called a man, and was several years Eret's junior. Poor boy had been a wayward traveler from Connaught, seeking some manner of work when his village was destroyed in a cattle raid turned bad. Despite this he was a happy young lad, filled with faith and a zeal for life in both this world and the next. He had been working hard to prove himself on Eret's boat, and was demonstrating himself to be a soul destined for a successful and happy life.

He'd probably be dead by the end of tomorrow, along with two or three others from Pictland who weren't looking too healthy either. The Angle beside Eret silently huffed as they pulled back in unison, playing their part in propelling this ship along to wherever they were destined. Perhaps a distant shore near the corners of the world, where the peoples were without eyes or wore green skin and spoke in riddles. Lands where the sun never rises or sets, where there is forever darkness or forever light and where the moon runs red with blood. Places where palaces float on clouds and where the Word has never been heard. Perhaps the domains of the Infidels, who sought the blood of the righteous for sustenance and who forced the true followers to fight one another in their endless campaigns against the virtuous. All were possibilities at this point, the imagination was free to fear and suspect all manners of evil for these unfortunate forty trapped at sea, forced to row their way to their own doom.

What had he or any of them done to deserve this? He was a virtuous man, one who had forever obeyed the Word and who had never doubted his resolve in God. Yet the Angle beside him did not seem to show any conviction for faith, nor did several other of the Germans he had come to somewhat know in his time on this vessel. Regardless of their knowledge of God's grace they were all suffering like the sinners who would have more properly deserved such a fate.

"Row! Do not make me start selecting men at random for death! There are always replacements where you came from; do not think you are special!" The guard was walking back down the platform, whip tassels swaying from side to side as he looked for some poor victim to satisfy his lust for sadistic misery and blood. Each row of oarsmen kept to their steady time, even the weakest reaching into the deepest recesses of their strength to once more pull forward an impossible determination to live, that eternal conviction which spurs all peoples on to great acts normally beyond their physical capacity.

His faith would not waver, but it was still being questioned. How could a man like himself, like the young boy from Connaught or even some of the more noble and respectable heathens aboard this vessel be deserving of such punishment? Why did Hell have to come to the land of the living for now? Was that not reserved only for the wicked in death alone?

"Faster! With all your might you worthless animals!" They responded much like the animals described, with blind obedience bred out of fear and desperation. Eret's arms had long ago started to throb, but with each day he grew stronger still. If he was going to die, he was going to leave a well toned corpse if nothing else. He could feel the ship accelerating around him as they all pulled as a single cohesive unit, forty disparate individuals united in one place for the sake of one action, one cause that even if against their wills was a powerful bond that they could all feel.

"Faster! Faster!" The man with the whip was on the stairs leading up to the top deck, looking out into the sea ahead where the oarsmen could not. They were merely the workers who controlled the ship, guiding it across a sea they could not see. The rowers continued in increasingly rapid strokes of the oars, obeying orders for the sake of obeying orders.

Eret could not quite understand why they wanted to pick up so much speed right now. This had been yet to happen in his two weeks on the ship, why increase in speed like this and force the rowers to expend themselves in such a way? What was so important about-

"Brace for impact!"

_Brace for wha-_

Eret's face was jerked forward into the shoulder of the man in front of him, who performed the same action to the man in front of _him_ and so on down both rows of benches. His chest collided with the thick oar and threatened to break his ribs as the full weight of a suddenly halted boat surged through everybody in the vessel, nearly threatening to send the man with the whip off the stairs and onto his ass. Eret pulled his head back as his body shook with the last waves of energy that were surging forward through the vessel. Nobody further rowed; all were free from the oars as they tended to their pain, rubbing their arms and heads, looking around to each other to try and figure out what was going on.

On the top deck the footsteps of several men could be heard as they bounded forward with a fierce yell, moving towards the bow of the ship before the footsteps stopped, while the screams were joined by a chorus of other, new voices from beyond the front of the ship. It did not take Eret long to put the events together, and before guilt started to creep into his thoughts. He could hear the yells and arguments going on beyond the hull, the scrambling of feet back onto the galley and he believed a few heavy splashes already. He'd just helped these people ram another ship, doing to others what had been done unto him.

Had he known would he have tried to stop it, to spare some people he did not know from suffering his current fate? He wanted to say he would have, being the upstanding man that he always considered in his mind's eye. But there was nothing he could do about that now, his cowardice and lack of knowledge as to what he had been doing. He stared at his hands a moment, these instruments that had damned more probably virtuous and honest men to his same fate. He glanced at the Angle, as equal a harbinger of misery for whatever people were going to be brought on board. He seemed to care little, and rubbed his arms with relief at their sudden break from strenuous labor.

He felt a lump metastasizing at the back of his throat as the footsteps came back onto the bow, heavy and in a slightly more numerous collection than they had been going out. There was a pause as the ship captain probably tried to talk to them as had happened to him, trying in a variety tongues that he had no mastery over to explain how they were now to row and nothing else, how if they acted with submission all would be fine, but that weakness and subordination would not be tolerated and instead punished severely. Silence pervaded the row benches, each man knowing exactly the process. The Angle was ambivalent, a long time veteran of this seat and who had probably seen many other men just as good as Eret occupy the space next to him and be removed for their weakness. Eret was determined that he would not face a death at the bottom of the sea with a slit throat. He would carry on, with or without God's grace.

The shuffling of a few sets of feet drew closer to the stairs, the man with the whip bringing down three men, all in Eret's similarly young and healthy shape. The last few survivors of a fast process of evaluation for subvertive character and physical strength. They were all scared, still in the shock of the sudden assault and capture, probably having been in Eret's frame of mind that nobody would be cruel enough to abandon the pleasantries and etiquette of a sailor's life. They looked around the benches with a terrified curiosity, coming to their own realizations of their circumstances. The oarsmen looked amongst themselves, knowing that the time for a new selection of sacrifices had come. The man with the whip had clearly already made up his mind.

"You with the blonde hair and you two on this bench here, get out of your seats." Eret looked forward to see that the young boy from Connaught had been pointed at, a small bob of sun-lit hair rising up from his position as his bench mate reached up and shook his hand, one final gesture of solidarity and pity as he dragged his weak, shambled mess of a body forward to the man with the whip. He went to pass Eret, who in a surge of compassion reached forward an arm for attention from the boy, whispering "God's grace" before the man with the whip saw them. The boy seemed dead in his eyes, devoid of a zeal for the material world. Yet the words tempered a still burning spark beyond those pale and worn down eyes of forest green, a flicker of determination for a life soon to be arrived at when the blood mixed with the salty brine of the North.

The three new men were all instructed to take the seats that had been vacated, which they promptly did with haste at fear of the whip and the recently drawn knife that the man now brandished, admiring the blade that would soon fill its purpose for creation once more. The oarsmen-including Eret-turned away as they were led to the top deck, letting go of these units that had made of the entity of rowers as three more quickly took their place. The man who brandished his knife with childish glee barked an order for them to start rowing in reverse so that they could clear the rapidly sinking wreckage of whatever kind of ship they had rammed. The oars were soon back in motion, clearing away from the crumbling carcass of another vessel before being ordered to charge forward as they pushed on, forever moving the ship to a place they could not see.

The routine continued on, the Angle staying quiet next to Eret who's stomach was in agony at thinking of what was about to become of the those three who had left them. It was a world of life or death, a different sea than the one he had set off for back on the Isle of Man. He was still lucky for now, maintaining his skin and some degree of trust in self and God in these circumstances of degradation and humiliation. But with each stroke, with each pull he put into a moving a ship to somewhere he could never see something dark was latching itself onto his soul. Bitterness, a bile of hatred towards the world towards around him. Towards the Angle to his left, towards the man with the knife and whip, towards himself for being foolish enough to put them in a circumstance like this in the first place. As they put themselves into their old rhythm, of a constant and persistent elliptical procession a small uproar could be heard on the top deck, the last desperate pleas of the old blood before they were silenced, small disturbances in the din of the passing water denoting that they had been disposed of. They had passed on from the suffering of this world, leaving Eret and an Angle and thirty eight other poor men left behind for fate unknown.

God have mercy on their souls.

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

Toothless' breathing is low and steady, in that solemn and relieved state of slumber. The night is still, without form beyond the soft glow of the campfire. Life is quiet save for the occasional shift of two human bodies on the ground. Hiccup and Astrid lie awake, holding each other close and trying to sleep but too caught up in a buzz of excitement that runs among them. It's been this way since they started the raids against the castles, where the one who had partaken in a raid would return with persistent adrenaline and a zeal for existence that took quite a while to go away.

They each smiled gleefully, Astrid's head tucked against Hiccup's shoulder. He had returned a while ago from his raid, having done some substantial damage to one of the outer-earthen battlements of the Western castle. At this point they knew that both fortresses had stopped their fighting-some aerial reconnaissance during the day had turned up nothing but tranquility in the valley for weeks as both camps made repairs and peace in light of the new developments. Still, it was a fun adventure to perform some destruction every night, to let out whatever anger or other emotions you had on castle walls without fear of being struck down in the security of the night. A few more days and they were determined to leave, but they nonetheless enjoyed their fun while they could.

"I told you I'll get one before we leave, I promise."

Astrid had been recommending to Hiccup for his past few raids that he should make an effort to try and steal a better weapon of his own while his target was in chaos. She was still proud of the well crafted spear she'd managed to fetch a week ago, and was gleeful to have a real weapon outside of a small knife in her possession for now. Toothless had been insistent that he wouldn't fly with it since it threw off his sense of balance and wind perception, but for while they were on the ground she enjoyed spending the day practicing with it, sometimes pleading with Hiccup to let her show him some moves. He could make some downward strokes alright but his thrust was horrible and he had no sense of how to defend himself when she tried to spar. Men with spears weren't supposed to lose so easily to girls with knives, but sometimes the disparity between combatants can truly be overwhelming.

"Just promise me you're not going to go for something you can't use. Maybe…I don't know maybe a mace is more your type. Pretty basic and good for swinging, once you can figure out the weight it would be pretty easy." Astrid whispered into his ear, half serious but in a whimsical, playful tone. She was expecting him to turn to her with a smile as thanks for her advice. Her expectations proved correct.

"Maybe. If I can find one."

"Please?" She asked in a gentle, caring voice. She slithered a hand up to his chest, their latest gesture of intimacy on these nights where electricity ran through the air and sleep eluded them. "For me?"

He blinked his eyes a long moment before breaking out into a smile, giddy and vibrant. "Sure. For you."

"Mmh…thank you." She nudged his head with her own as she switched her legs around. This position had done nothing but grow more comfortable, more natural since Wales. There was something about his proximity, about the sensation of his body next to hers that she couldn't drag herself away from. When his hands-a mixture of calluses from riding and of soft, delicate skin-gripped her arm as they fell asleep she tried to equate it with some other feeling, yet finding none were applicable. When that skin would glide across hers, she would feel a wave of satisfaction and happiness surge through her as the two beings shifted in the other's grip. Even without any real physical strength his presence was so protective, so assuring. Darkness and despair seemed distant, incapable of touching her when surrounded by this body that she could hold onto in the night-or whenever she wanted to be honest.

A few insects chirped in the safety of the surrounding woodland, safe in the darkness and coming once more into the world as Spring affirmed its hold and made ready for the transition to summer, when the land of Franks was alive with the vibrant colors of a land where sunlight reigned, where the warm glow of summer is not a fleeting aberration but a normal, regular and consistent feature. The trees were letting their buds burst forward into leaves of a bright green, welcoming the domination of the sun that would beckon them to all their glory in a kingdom of light and life.

For now, there was only the quiet darkness in which such a transformation brooded and waited to spring forth. The womb of the night enveloped them all, one meager light that permeated the darkness. Nature idled around them, with the subtle cracks or shifting of leaves that would typify a still night.

"Astrid?"

"Mmh?"

Hiccup was staring at her, face without form for a moment as nervous forces worked amongst themselves within his head. He leaned forward and landed a kiss on her lips, not too fast but not daring to linger for long. He pulled back, leaving Astrid in a pleasant surprise.

"We going to sleep now?" She asked, this being the usual ritual.

"No…just-just wanted to do that."

They stared at each other a moment before Astrid broke into a giggle that Hiccup soon joined in on, not quite sure as to what he was laughing at but relieved that Astrid was comfortable with his actions. She her grin stuck on her face, a smug stretching of the lips that refused to dissipate.

"You're just too cute sometimes, you know that?" She managed out between a last few huffs of laughter. Hiccup's eyes closed a moment, his cheeks filling with a rosy tint as a smile wracked his face. Astrid moved her hand from his chest up his neck to his face, finding her cool fingers in sharp contrast to the warm skin around his lips and eyes. She lingered on this area, wanting him to feel that same sensation that she had when his skin was on her own.

"I didn't before, I do now." He started his own, incontrollable laughter, his cheeks inflating as she tightened her grip on the rouge skin. Astrid closed in with a kiss of her own, pressing against the tight skin at his lips, feeling his hot breath against her face that tingled her bangs. She wanted to draw back, but it was just too much fun to stay so close to him, to guide the subtle movements of the muscles beneath his lips as he gave into her control. He needed not to be forced, there was no coercion needed when it came to him succumbing to her touch. She loved that sense of power, that sense of control that he willingly conceded to her time and time again. She sucked at his lower lip, wanting to roll it between her own, to absorb it and never let go.

A low rumble came from Toothless in such an awkward, uncomfortable tone that drew the two humans away from the pleasure of their closeness, looking up to observe the dragon. He shook his back and his wings stuttered. Another cooing moan came out, filled with rage but trimmed in misery. The two lifted themselves to a sitting position, blanket barely enveloping them as they shunned its warmth. The dragon's tail shifted abruptly, trying to free itself from nonexistent bonds. The humans began to grow concerned as the tail started lashing at the ground, the dragon's moans growing louder and in greater distress. The woods beyond them cracked with the mysteries of the night.

"T-Toothless?" Hiccup inquired, starting to grow worried. He asked again, and a third time at a louder volume. The dragon's body broke from its agitations and shakes and with a long breath eased itself back into the ground, suddenly calm and broken from whatever was causing the uneasy movements. The beast turned around, eyes open but solemn and tired.

"You alright Toothless?" Astrid asked.

_::I-I was sleeping yes?::_

"Uh…yeah. You having some bad dreams or something?" Hiccup asked, growing concerned at the dragon's tone, fatigued not just from sleep but from whatever had been happening within that sleep. The forest cracked and shifted around them, phantoms dancing in the dark void and indistinguishable from the haze of black.

_::I was…I was having bad dreams yes.::_ The dragon's shoulders were hunched over, his head hung low. He appeared battered and worn down even though he had barely moved since they had returned from the raid. More so, the fact that he would willingly admit such an unfortunate occurrence to others was contrary to his usually proud sense of self, admitting a failure of conscience that he otherwise never would.

_::I was…it is…I am alright now, go back to sleep.::_

"We weren't asleep Toothless, you were." Astrid retorted, finding the dragon's behavior strange. Another crack was heard in the darkness, perking up Toothless' ear but not yet alerting him to anything notable. The beast raised his head, trying to recover his pride from his own pit of agony.

_::Yes-yes of course you were. I will go to sleep then. You should go to sleep as well. Sleep is-::_

Another crack came up from the woods, this time louder than the others and without the more natural tone of the preceding ones. Toothless shifted his head around, ears perked and eyes narrowing. Hiccup and Astrid looked around; trying to figure out what had the dragon's attention. Toothless sniffed at the darkness for a moment, soon turning to growl at the woods where mirages lingered.

'"Toothless? What is it?" Astrid asked, eyeing her spear nearby. Hiccup began to grow nervous, looking around frantically.

_::Something does not smell right…I fear that we may have-::_

"Montjoie!"

"Saint Denis!"

A masculine roar came from the darkness. Out of the shadows sprung forward six men brandishing weapons, screaming with a mixture of bravado and fear as they charged forward from the trees, barely visible in the light of the campfire.

"Look out!" Astrid scrambled over Hiccup towards her spear, lying near their bag of supplies. Toothless had already struck one of the attackers down with a plasma blast, and with a primeval growl pounced forward, knocking another to the ground and whipping another into a tree with his tail. Hiccup had gotten up and retrieved his knife from nearby, but stood motionless as the three remaining attackers-clad in chainmail and with blacked out faces-continued forward as the other three were disposed of by Toothless. The one struck by the fire was already dead, and the one that was pounced on received a vicious assault of talons to the throat and chest.

"Saint Denis!" Another of them cried out as he came at Astrid with a sword. She raised her spear to strike, but found the oncoming Frank was forced sideways by a sphere of purple that collided with his side. Astrid looked to the other two, who had stopped their advance and had fallen back to each other's side, brandishing their swords defensively and beginning to show more fear than bravery as a young girl with lance and oncoming dragon approached.

"Retraite!" One called to the other. They dropped their weapons and fled back towards the safety of the darkness, one draped in a surcoat of white and gold while the other sported blue and black. United they withdrew, fleeing with the invocation of saints and screams of fright. Toothless made ready to go after them before having his attention drawn to the moans of the other Frank he had knocked against a tree, who had gotten back up and was reaching for the sword that had fallen out of his hand.

"Toothless!" Hiccup shouted as he saw the dragon's attention be drawn to the man who was steadying himself and tightening his grip on the weapon. This entire confrontation had happened so fast and without warning that he was still trying to wrap his mind around it, but he knew that the death of three men was already too much for him to handle.

His words meant little. With narrow and combative eyes Toothless turned towards the Frank and lunged forward with a growl. The knight made a swing with his sword but had neither the force or coordination to land the blow on Toothless. The dragon pushed the knight to the ground and tore into him with his claws, drawing the agonized screams of deathly torture that only come from men in such horrific moments. Astrid looked on with Hiccup in horror as the screams gave way to gurgles of blood and finally little more than the wet, sopping sounds of human insides being ripped apart, the crunching footsteps of the two escaping knights fading into the woods.

Astrid stabbed her spear back into the ground, seeing that the Frank who had attacked her was already dead from the fire and not needing a strike of mercy. She walked back over to Hiccup, both of them breathing with difficulty as Toothless' blows on the remains of the mutilated body slowed down, leaving only the slow, winded pants of the dragon in its wake.

Everything had suddenly changed from the innocent kisses and relaxation they had come to enjoy on nights like this into a bloodbath, Toothless being the sole bearer of the responsibility for the carnage. While no doubt protecting them from a similar harm that would have befallen them if any of the Franks had landed a blow, it was nonetheless startling to see the dragon in such a protective and aggressive stance.

The dragon raised its head, trying to appear dignified as it turned back to Hiccup and Astrid. Not since their first meeting with the beast did either human ever truly feel so intimidated by the beast, the fire showing the splattering of blood that streaked across his face and over his paws. His eyes were beginning to change from the constricted, more reptilian slivers of combat to rounder, mammalian spheres of green and black, behind which were weighed the current conditions in the ever logical mind.

_::I-I have protected you. You are safe now.::_

"Yeah….yeah Toothless we're safe." Astrid approached him carefully, seeing that he was no longer in a true state of blood lust but still cautious that something might set him off. "You alright?"

_::I was merely protecting you. I have done a good job of this yes?::_

The two humans looked around at the four mutilated or burned Franks that surrounded them, all thoroughly dead and beyond recognition of the bodies they had once been. They would probably have to fly somewhere else to sleep for the night, both to escape the grim images for when they awoke and in the realization that the castles had found their hiding place at last. The game was over, finished with a flourish of blood and aggression.

"Yes Toothless you've done a good job. Now what do you say we get some of that blood off you eh?" Hiccup went for the pack and pulled out a brown rag, one that he used for drying after rain showers or baths in a nearby stream that he and Astrid had been enjoying the past few weeks. Toothless lay down as Hiccup approached with the rag, losing his sense of fear but nauseous at seeing his best friend covered in blood. He started to wonder if any had gotten in the dragon's mouth, if Toothless had ever tasted human blood before. Astrid went for the pack and withdrew one of their canteens, knowing that some water would probably be needed for when some of the blood dried on. Together the humans flanked the dragon, which remained silent for now as his breathing slowed and temperament returned to normal.

"Lift your chin." Hiccup asked and the dragon complied as the boy set to work trying to distinguish dark blood from blacks scales in the faint firelight. He began to sop up the blood with the cloth, taking the canteen from Astrid and wetting it to make the blood less viscous as he rubbed along the chin line.

_::Hiccup? You are alright? Astrid you are alright as well?::_

"Yeah Toothless we told you we're fine, you did a good job." Astrid replied gently, resting a hand on the top of the dragon's head where there was an absence of blood. The Night Fury sounded exasperated, much like he had when first woken from his dreams. If anything, his waking actions only seemed to be prolonging that discomfort and anxiety he had shown upon being freed from slumber. She tried to go behind one of his ears where she knew he liked to be scratched, but found her efforts to draw pleasure out of him were for naught as his expression remained dazed and traumatic.

_::Astrid…you wanted to know why I was attacking Berk before Hiccup took me down yes? Hiccup, you wish to know this as well?::_

The sudden willingness to talk about such a different topic surprised the humans, but neither would dare to object to the dragon in his state. Astrid affirmed their desires, and the dragon began.

_::I was dreaming-dreaming about how that came to be. I was indeed under the control of the Beta that lives near Berk, enslaved-enslaved in its hold. But I had not freely given up my will to be free to that, the inferior and lethargic breed. My will…I was broken several years before that by the circumstances that I was dreaming about.::_

"Yeah bud? What was that?" Hiccup was now trying to do away with the blood near the dragon's eyes, being as gentle as he could. Astrid kept a consoling hold on him, doing what she could to ease the dragon as she sensed the anxiety flowing off of him.

_::…After the fall of the Great Nest my brother and I-::_

"Whoa! Whoa Toothless wait your…you had a brother?" Hiccup asked, stopping his efforts to clean up the blood in shock. "W-Why didn't you tell us this before? Why didn't you tell _me_ before?" Hiccup was feeling that same sense of betrayal that he had when learning that there was more to Toothless' past than the dragon had first let on. How much was there to his friend's history that had been kept secret from him?

_::It would have…it would have been too difficult for you to hear and for me to tell at any similar time and now-and now it no longer is now that so much has happened. Do I have your forgiveness for my transgression?::_

The dragon's sudden, uncharacteristic humility had caught Hiccup off guard. He had expected more of the beast's pedantic and endlessly logical justifications for holding back information, but instead only encountered regret and a solemn, dry tone. "Yeah-yeah bud I forgive you. Uhm...ontinue please?"

_::Of course. After the fall of the Great Nest, my brother and I began to explore the world of our own accord, surveying what we could and enjoying our opportunity to freely observe you humans and whatever momentous occasions we had access to viewing. We had a fantastic time together, the two of us. We did not have much care nor any real concerns, since we were always intelligent enough to stay out of the reaches of whatever humans would try and harm us, not that we did much-at least not often-to incur their anger.::_

"Mmh…" Hiccup mumbled as he went about trying to wipe away the blood from the dragon's throat. There was so much of it; he was starting to grow concerned he would need to request to use Astrid's wash cloth as well to handle the volume.

_::However-however five-going on six-years ago now something…we made a mistake. We had flown too far towards where the sun rises, to a land where there are no forests or mountains and where the ground is flat and without any manner of marker. We were trying to finally make an attempt to find the Great Nest that lies in the highest mountains, in the hopes that we may see if any similar fate to ours had yet befallen it. We were-we were resting at a small pond in a woodland we had found-suspecting that the trees had given us protection when…when we were captured.::_

The thoughts the dragon sent into their heads were increasingly dark, signed with a growing tension within him that made Astrid and Hiccup nervous.

_::Humans came from every direction and threw iron nets onto us and pinned us down. We were taken to a place with many more of these large men who wore armor and carried weapons all the time. There-there we found Palantinius, still up to his old tricks but allied to a new human, one who wore a complexion like the one who had attacked the Great Nest. There were many other of the inferior species there, already enslaved to Palantinius and in use by this man, who had one arm of flesh and another of iron. He wanted to break our will, wanted us to serve him. We refused, keeping up each other's spirits in spite of our circumstances of being chained up and under nourished. This would not do for him, the man with the iron hand.::_

A sudden color of rage entered Toothless' tone, making Hiccup stop his cleansing swipes a moment before an assured signal from Toothless' eyes permitted him to continue.

_::So one day this man, in an effort to make at least one of us submit…he took a blade and spun it on the ground. It stopped spinning and pointed at my brother and then…and then he-he.::_

Toothless stopped a moment, something strange causing him to wince away from Hiccup's cloth and Astrid's touch. His tone had grown agonized, and within his eyes-even if Hiccup couldn't quite make it out by the dim firelight-there seemed to be some manner of moisture forming.

_::He…he took the knife to my brother. He slit his neck and killed him. But he did not stop there. He continued to cut. He dug under the scales and lifted up his skin, tearing it away from his body. Right in front of me! I saw his skin torn away until there was nothing but a corpse left, a disgusting corpse of blood and sinew that was no longer my brother!::_

Toothless stomped a paw into the ground that made Astrid and Hiccup pull away in fear, unsure as to what came next. They could feel a chill running not just in the air but in their very blood, revolted by the details that Toothless described. So much information had been relayed so quickly that neither could truly wrap themselves around these gruesome relations. The beast gave a long breath, straining to maintain composure under the agonizing weight of his own memory.

_::My will-my will was broken then. When I saw the man with a metal arm wearing the skin of my brother I-I gave up hope of my release, hope for freedom and to exist. I gave into the call of Palantinius and submitted to his control, in turn the control of the man with a metal arm. I was made a scout, flying to the corners of the flat lands and beyond and making note of cities, towns, armies and so forth. For several years I know I did this. I could still think, could still keep track of the days and my body. But my mind was always called to perform his will. No matter how hard I tried to fight it there was nothing I could do to resist my orders. My wings would spread and my head would turn towards the sun and I was compelled towards my next objective. For three years I did this.::_

Toothless' voice had begun to revert back to normal as he moved from the worst of his memories to more mundane ones. Still insultingly painful, but more so out of a lack of pride than a true physical or mental trauma.

_::One day I had traveled far to the North, surveying the lands in which you live. I was getting ready to report back to Palantinius when I fell into the zone of control of the local Beta. I misinterpreted the new sensation of her pull as freedom, and charged into it only to find myself further under control. I was rendered a drone to her, and began assisting the lower species in raiding your settlements for food, providing extra support for the lesser ones as they performed the more risky work since I was far too valuable to her to lose. Then-then one night Hiccup, the Moon Goddess granted you the proper aim to strike me down and free me from her wretched bonds by putting me through such agonizing physical pain that I once again developed a sense of self, if only because I knew my body was my most pressing concern at that moment in time. ::_

"Right…sorry bud." Hiccup murmured as he moved around Toothless' face to wipe the blood off the other side of his head. He was starting to get some of the blood on his hand, but he was determined not to ask Astrid to sacrifice her wash cloth as well. At least one of them should be able to bathe while they were out here.

_::Do not apologize, it is only the foolish who apologize for freedom. You set me free from servitude and bestowed upon me your kindness and camaraderie, I would happily lose my greater wings if I had to ever be set free from the clutches of another Beta again.::_

The dragon had grown hopeful now, almost happy. Astrid offered Hiccup the canteen to start washing off some of the blood that was beginning to dry on Toothless' scales.

_::When you discovered me that first morning, I was in pain and afraid. My only experiences with humans thus far had always been affiliated with destruction and pain, so I hope you will forgive me for leaping onto you when you cut me free. It was only when I had you up against the rock that I had realized that you were the one who had performed such an action, and in my solitude in the cove before we met I began to consider the options that you may in fact have meant me something different than harm. When you truly made your intentions and your determination to make them so apparent to me, it was then that I conceded to myself that your companionship might both be useful and enjoyable.::_

Toothless adjusted his head and nudged it against Hiccup's, giving warm breath against it with a low purr emanating from the back of his throat. Hiccup stopped his padding of the loose blood and sat still, Astrid observing the two of them in suspense.

_::When you came into my life I was in many different sorts of pain. You have made these pains mostly go away, except in dreams like the one I was having earlier. You…in you I see…someone I used to know and still do, in different forms at least. I see-I think of you…::_

The dragon stopped himself, taking a swallow and long breath before drawing away from Hiccup, pushing his head to the ground and stopping him from cleaning up the rest of the blood. Astrid and Hiccup backed away as the dragon began to curl himself up as to sleep. They stood and moved towards each other as the dragon went to cover his eyes with his tail, suddenly once more resistant to talk and expression.

_::I appreciate the effort to clean me but it would be more thorough if I were to do so in the nearby stream in the morning.::_

"But-but Toothless the Franks-"

_::Fear not Astrid, even if they have horses it will take them until noon to get back to the valley if they ride all through the rest of this night. We are safe from further attack for now, and the previous one has left me quite drained. I wish to sleep once more.::_

"But the dead bodies-"

_::Hiccup, if the sight of the dead disturb you then we may fly out to the stream at first light to wash and then proceed on our way. But for now I shall rest, and we shall not fly away at night. Sleep my friend, we shall set out in the morning.::_

With this the dragon severed all manners of communication and did not respond to either boy or girl's inquisitions or requests. They gave up doing so and instead withdrew back to their blanket. Hiccup threw his washcloth away into the darkness, Astrid using the last of the water in her canteen to wash away what blood had gotten onto his hand. He wiped away the residue that was left on his pants. They were starting to get small for him and he knew he would have to abandon this pair tomorrow, so it all worked out. Some of the new sets they had stolen fit much better-and in full disclosure were much better made than these vestiges of life from Berk.

"Well…looks like someone is pretty special." She whispered in his ear as they drew towards the blanket.

The fire was dying down to a few wispy flames that would soon be no more than embers. The four deceased bodies were little more than shadows in the darkness, vague abnormalities in the veil of black that could not bother them. They would rise early before the sun and insects started to get at them and make headway. They knew they're task had been performed by now, having watched the colors of the two castles running for their lives a short while ago. They lay down in tranquility, much as they had been before blood and memory had torn them away from bliss.

"Do I really have to talk about it now? I'm…I'm getting pretty tired to." Hiccup sighed. His mind was awash in contemplating all that his friend had told him, and he could see that same sense of contemplation in Astrid. The horrific, miserable details related to him filled him with empathy, but the awkward if sincere confessions that had followed also inspired in him a humble pride, a happiness that he had filled some manner of void in his friend's life that had been created on account of misery and sadism.

"No…I'm feeling drained to, got pretty excited because of the attack and now I'm"-she yawned-"I'm feeling pretty tired also." She drew in close to him as they had been, hand running up his chest as he turned in towards her.

"Gods, those bodies aren't going to be pretty to wake up to."

"I know, but we'll get moving quickly and then we don't have to look at them. Besides, you actually get to wake up to me don't you?" She drew enough of a smile out of him for her to present one as well. Their own bliss was enough to banish the darkness of the past for now even as the black of night swept in around them.

"This is true, can't deny that."

"No you can't." She replied, drawing in to place a kiss on his lips, short and sweet, more innocent than her previous one and only a sign of friendship.

"Time to go to sleep?"

"No." She replied in a quick, playful way. "Just because you're cute…dragon brother."

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

**Hello Peoples!**

**I am SO sorry about this chapter's delay, but alas when life happens things can get chaotic as happened in the cases of both myself and my Beta. I also forgot to give her my usual shout-out in the last installment, so here's looking at you Teg!**

**A nice, gritty installment here for you. Indeed the life of Eret, son of Eret has taken a turn for the worse…I think you can guess where this is going. *Evil Grin* And there we have Toothless' history fleshed out a little more for you, an elaboration on his dream as seen in chapter 13, I apologize if it is repetitive, but I was put in this awkward scenario of having to convey it you-the reader-as well as the characters in the story at the same time. I promise I won't mention it for a while now, I'm sure you're sick of it. I do hope though that this also sheds some light on the deeper reason why Toothless disliked Astrid so much in the first few chapters. I'll make you think for it, but I think the answer is pretty evident by now.**

**With that said, thanks as always for reading. Reviews, Favorites etc. are always appreciated, especially as we near that 200 Follower mark (So Excited!) Your support and interest really does mean a lot to me after all. Next chapter might be delayed again because I have a lot to do in real life pertaining to school and starting a job, but I will try and get next chapter out as soon as I can. Until then, hope this holds you over and I'll see you next time.**

**-Mc.**


	16. The Past Defines The Future

"So what do you think?"

The house is nothing too grand or worthy of praise but is still of sound construction. Whoever had built it certainly had access to more money and labor than the average man but certainly was not financially competent enough to call himself nobility. It was made of wood, a simple hall that extended for a good length laterally and extended up towards a second story. In many ways it reminded Hiccup of his own house back on Berk-by far the nicest one the village considering the status of being the chief's son, even if he didn't deserve it.

"I mean….yeah it's nice. Now you're _sure_ you haven't seen anyone enter or leave the past few days?"

"I'm telling you I even went inside and it had all the signs of having been abandoned for a good while. Really a shame and pretty strange surprising considering the village down there. Would have figured someone would have come to claim it already."

Hiccup was indeed aware of the village that they could see from this high area. The house was alone on this hill, keeping watch on a sea-side village down a long, rolling slope. It could be considered to rest on a mountain in comparison to the small huts and houses that could be seen down in the village, about two hundred in number and laid out in no particular order. The settlement had clearly grown naturally over many years, land being cleared and housing erected as children were born and settlers laid down roots.

"I'm just saying maybe the people who live here have been gone for a while but will return soon. Who knows?"

"Well _if_ they return-which I guarantee they won't-then we'll just leave. It's not like we're burning this place down, just staying for a while."

The air is cool but the sun is strong. The sky is clear and making a conceited effort to look beautiful. Tree buds have bloomed into full leaves in the past two weeks since they abandoned their raids against the castles, knowing that the feud had been arrested thanks to their presenting of a mutual enemy, even if they no longer tormented them. They had traveled inland for a few days but decided to let the winds guide them back towards the coastline, not wanting to get lost in the interior of France and losing all sense of direction or motivation. They had spent the last week in a cave nearby, Toothless showing a great deal of satisfaction in their utilization of the nearby sea for food. It was much more docile to see the dragon devouring whole fish in one gulp than having to endure him viciously tearing apart larger game in front of the two of them.

Astrid had found this house on her first solo flight with Toothless around these parts. Finding it deserted at whatever time she inspected it she increasingly started to pester Hiccup about checking it out, and to utilize it for the meantime so as to give them a break from sleeping on cave floors with nothing but a blanket and single large pillow between them. Beds, tables and chairs were sounding quite welcome for now, especially in weather as beautiful as this. These were the kind of days that summon pleasant memories of childhood, when the relaxing air and beautiful tapestries that hover high above bring the mind back to better days. These were times where all one wants to do is to sit somewhere comfortable and enjoy the times that the gods had given, when they took mercy upon the poor mortals beneath them and brightened their lives with all the beauty that nature has to offer. These were days that essentially demanded a comfortable living and relaxation by all, and what better place to do it than a deserted house?

_::We are far enough away from the village so that any flight I took-if we began ascension on the opposite side of the hill-would be unseen by virtually all and so allowing our routines to go uninterrupted whilst staying here.::_

"Of course you have to be on her side…"

_::I enjoy a stable place to live just as much as humans. If presented with the opportunity, I will of course take it.::_

Toothless casually meandered up towards the door of the house, inspecting it for size. Astrid followed and Hiccup followed her as well, knowing that any concerns he had weren't going to win Astrid or the dragon back to his side. He was still a little wary of setting down roots for any real period of time, fearing that a spirit as malevolently enchanting as Sinead might linger in the nearby village. But he knew that that Gaelic vixen was far away now, and she could neither touch him in the flesh nor tease his mind. Astrid had for months now taken her rightful place again as his fixation, and one who had given him even more than he could remember that Celt ever offering. The way she clung to him the mornings, wanted every part of her body tightly pressed against his for as long as possible. Helping him up during one of his inevitable trips while walking, helping with cooking and just being general company was a sensation he would never tire of, no matter what good looking girls France had to offer him.

"Come on, I'll show you around." Astrid pushed open the door-noticeably unlocked- and entered, Toothless finding the frame just wide enough for him to slide through and for Hiccup to follow afterwards.

The inside of the house was dark save for sets of two windows each that rested at opposite ends of the single hall, letting in small, square beams of sunlight that gave just enough irradiation to the inside for someone to make sense of their surroundings. A few paces in front of the doorway was a table sporting five simple stools -two of which occupied one side and the rest evenly dispersed. Beyond these items was a fire pit carved deep into the ground and with a well made ring of stone around it, blending in well with the wooden floor and constructed with a great deal of care to prevent the wayward ember from causing any great deal of destruction. There were some more stools at the far end of the first floor near a table, upon which were scattered a few half completed wooden objects-seeming to resemble toys.

"Neat eh?" Astrid walked around the table, skimming a thin layer of dust off of it. "See? I told you this place has been abandoned for a while." She went over to the fire pit, pointing to how there was not even any wood nearby that have fueled some kind of blaze. She motioned towards some cupboards on the right side of the hall near where a stair case led up to the second floor. "Only food I could find in there was some really old and moldy bread. It's like whoever was living here just…stopped all of a sudden."

"Huh…" Hiccup mumbled to himself as he took to examining his surroundings. It wasn't making sense to him, how a house as nice as this in terms of both construction and location could look abandoned for so long. It certainly looked appealing, but there was a strange aura about this house that he didn't like for some intangible reason. Toothless had slithered into the open space between the table and the work bench, sitting and taking in the surroundings. He didn't show much care about things if for the sake that he would be more comfortable outside, but he still found enjoyable to consider the thought of his two humans living here, if just so that he would learn how to properly defend them.

"I just don't get who would pass up something like this. I mean…really look at this place. You don't just _stop_ living someplace without some major changes going on…right?" Astrid was still spinning around and going from place to place, trying to see if anything had changed since her last visit but finding all was in exactly the same position it had been since yesterday when she'd finally mustered the certainty to walk in. She was still puzzled about the door being unlocked herself, but she was counting it as a blessing for now.

"Maybe…maybe plague?" Hiccup suggested, feeling it was the only possible solution at this point. The thought raised some interest in Astrid, who began to nod her head as she looked around. "I mean…well it's been abandoned for a while, no signs of forced eviction or struggle and a lot of stuff is where it was last left…plague probably took them then."

_::Does that imply that this place is not fit for habitation or any manner of presence?::_ Toothless perked his ears at Hiccup's assertion, showing concern that they may have wondered into a place that would afflict them with ailment.

"Not likely. Once back on Berk there was a family…gods who was it? Hiccup?"

"Think you're thinking of the Gunderson clan."

"Right! So Toothless there was this clan that had been on Berk for three generations by the time Hiccup and I were….what five?"

"Six."

"Same thing. Anyways one winter they all-every one of them- got sick. It was really a shame because all of them except the second eldest son Gunter died. He was moved to the healer's house for a while after everyone else had already died and wasn't allowed to take control of the house until the end of the winter because of his sickness. When he did though, it was a lot like this. But I don't think I ever heard of him getting sick again, did he Hiccup?"

"Well he did break a few toes when Spitelout dropped that log on him by accident, but I don't think that counts."

"Exactly, there you go Toothless, we're fine." Astrid walked back over to the reptile and gave him a scratch behind the ear, to which the beast replied with a sensuous purr and lowering of the head in pleasure.

_::You have convinced me, you have my thanks.::_

Astrid smiled at the concession of worry and looked back to Hiccup, who was eyeing the stairs and beginning to grow curious at what resided at the top layer of this house.

"You want to see don't you?" She asked so quickly and directly that it startled the boy, causing him to jump and knock his side against the nearby table. Astrid merely passed it off as his normal propensity to self injury and gave a giggle to try and ease his mind. He turned to her with a wince at the pain, gradually turning to a smile at the sight of her face, a beam of warm sunlight to relieve his pain. "It's pretty cool, come on I'll show you." She left Toothless where he was and with a few wide strides made it to the stairs, Hiccup following and Toothless after her. The two humans ascended the stairs easily, finding the rising wooden planes wide enough for both to clamor up at the same time. Toothless could follow, but only by tucking in his wings close to his body and making uneasy clasps onto the stairs and pulling himself up in a carefully coordinated and precise manner.

Astrid and Hiccup found the upstairs hall less full than the downstairs one, but with an item that especially perked their mutual interest. An actual bed, wide enough to stuff in four people but with two being the more comfortable number that could be placed upon it resided near the center, head against the right side of the wall and foot giving two people's width of space before the opposite wall. It was covered with a heavy looking blanket of brown that was trimmed with what looked like wolf fur. If it had been made, it would have required great skill. If it was bought, it would have required great money. Either scenario implied once more that the person who had controlled this house had been one of good repute and sound station. Perhaps now dead after something as common as disease, but in another time he would have been quite respectable.

"What do you think?" Astrid asked as she stepped forward. She went past the bed and towards the large set of closets on the other side of the hall. Between these two objects a bassinette of wicker situated in a wooden frame was spotted, pushed off to the side and as empty as the rest of the house. He scowled and felt his heart slow at thinking that of a whole family, probably two parents, two children of some manner of age and an infant all dying here, nothing left but places of rest from which to remember them. It was saddening, but in the past. Much like the plague that had taken them, the thoughts of former inhabitants to this house could not harm Hiccup, no matter how much he wished they could.

There were two windows on the left side of the hall through which more shafts of light illuminated the dust which floated in the air. Hiccup began to suspect that Astrid had opened all these up yesterday to air out the house prior to his arrival and had kept them this way till now. While the stench of the entire hall was still musky and reeked of desolation and nature, Hiccup knew that it must have been even worse yesterday.

"I checked out these things yesterday and found they were empty except for a few sets of undergarments. Still pretty cool with just how big they are though. If anyone cleared this house out beforehand after the family died, they must have made off well. A bit surprising they left such a nice blanket on the bed, but then again I'm not complaining." Astrid walked back over to the bed and let herself fall into it with a loud, puffing sound. "Come feel this…it's really nice."

Not wanting to show disrespect to the thought of being on an actual bed with Astrid, Hiccup quickly obliged, moving forward and leaving Toothless at the top of the stairs, once more apathetic to whatever occupied the humans but beginning to consider on whether or not to make a play for the large bed. He enjoyed comfortable things just as much as humans, why should they reserve exclusive rights to such things? He knew that it was in fact their frail bodies and delicate conditions necessary for sleep that warranted this obsession with luxury, but just because he was tough did not seem to him a totally insurmountable reason why he shouldn't be allowed something nice every now and again.

Hiccup fell backwards onto the bed. It was packed well with straw and the blanket was living up to appearances of comfort. He turned to Astrid who was a face away from him, finding a smiling face to match his own. After roughing it in caves, forest floors and beneath Toothless' wings almost every day since leaving Berk-save for the few days at Sinead's village-the feel of an actual bed with a well crafted blanket over it was like stepping back through time to better, more gentle days.

"Oh…this _is_ nice." He managed out on a long, drawn out breath. With the addition of their mutual pillow and blanket from the pack and maybe getting some more things from the town further down the hill the bed would make a truly wonderful place to rest. But effort requires time, and time implied the issue that was nagging at Hiccup's mind since they had landed at this abandoned oasis of a dwelling.

"So…"

"Yeah." Astrid cut him off before he could even get out the question, knowing quite well what he was going for from the nervous expression on his face. "I was just thinking…I mean it's so nice here and nobody's using this house…"

"Yes….?"

"And…I mean going new places every day is exciting and all but-but sometimes I just feel like I want to stay someplace for a good while you know? Just for a couple weeks, maybe a month or two and just relax. I mean the land around here is just beautiful and the town could certainly offer us some good supplies and whatnot…please?" She had reverted to an almost childlike tone with her plea, smiling extending nearly to the bottoms of her eyes and she begged with her expression.

Weighing it over, Hiccup could understand her motivation. Every part of his body that touched this mattress wanted to stay here forever, on a soft structure made by human hands that called the weary to lay down their burdens and relish in relaxation and a night's rest that wasn't spent amongst dirt and insects. To be under an actual roof, safe from the elements or rain and sun was an alluring prospect. To regain some sense of normalcy after a winter of rough, nomadic existence was akin to the call of the Valkyrie to Valhalla, inescapable in the order that it sent to any human who had ever known some semblance of civilization or stability.

Still, this was a house whose final memory had been of death and pain. They were mere interlopers in this place, never given any permission by powers of this world or the other to take this place as their own for any amount of time. They were laying in a bed last occupied by a dying father who'd probably watched the rest of his family pass on before him, who'd expelled his last breath in this space where a boy and girl just coming into adulthood now smiled at each other with playfulness. It was disrespectful in this regard. Yet at the same time it was such a welcoming space, one that had been left by people that had left the world of flesh for others to take their place. As the world changes so do the places and the people who live there. Where there had once been huts, mighty conquerors built palaces. Where there were once empires of grandeur and strength there were now but villages and towns. Memories may persist, but all material places must at some point change hands. From father to son, lord to servant, person to person.

"Well…" He began, sounding more like a shrewd trader in his tone. "…I guess that it would be nice to stay around for a while, enjoy some stability for a bit."

"Oh?" Astrid's eyebrows raised and the azure spheres beneath them alit with interest and satisfaction.

"Plus I know that you'll probably force me to stay if I try and refuse anyways…"

"You got that right." She finished his wayward thought, bringing forth laughter from both of them.

"…so I guess-for a little while at least-we can stay."

"Oh yes!" She grinned forward, chuckling to herself at his concession. Whatever doubts of ethics he still had were pushed to the back of his mind for now. Her smile was enough to make him do anything-a power he was wary of from time to time but accepted was unlikely to leave him.

_::Very good.::_ Toothless spoke up from the stair case, interested in the new development. _::Now on the matter of who claims the bed…::_

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

They had taken the rest of the day when the decision was made to settle into the abandoned hall, using Hiccup's original and increasingly tight set of pants as a dust rag to remove what they could from the tables, bed, and other surfaces of the house that they would be using. The sun was staying in the sky longer these days, and they used what they had to get the house in as good a working order as they could. Astrid had mostly tended to preparing the bed and unpacking what few things they had while Hiccup had tidied up what few remaining things were in disarray and-with Astrid's assistance at times-moved a few pieces of furniture around to better accommodate Toothless inside. Even if this house was isolated they were not risking the dragon being discovered by some wayward traveler by virtue of him sleeping outside.

The work bench fascinated Hiccup throughout the day, and was the final and most time consuming thing to look over for him. Small wood shavings and well crafted tools were scattered around it. On the table itself were two wooden horses, each no taller than a codex and as wide as a man's fist. Each had a natural, long and curved neck, featuring manes that seemed caught in an eternal breeze, thick flowing strands that would never moved and were frozen in an instant of majesty. They had short legs with bulges to represent feathering and stood tall and at attention, in a fashion of proper cavalrymen yet to come. They were the last relics of whoever had past lived in the house, probably making gifts for his children before invisible death had taken them all. Though lacking some of the finer detail of a finished product, Hiccup still considered them impressive. He dusted them off and placed them on the large table, admiring the craftsmanship of a man who would never be able to finish them.

They had slept that night in a way that they never had before-comfortably. Astrid had even removed her armored skirt that night, not seeking to puncture the mattress with the studs. While he had first still clung to her as though she still had that stylish armor on her person, by the time he had woken he was firmly against her, more excited than he wished himself to be and promptly nudging himself away when he realized he was pressed against her ass, separated by nothing except a few layers of fabric. She hadn't been awake then, but he feared what would become of things if this persisted. He'd wanted her to remove that armor for so long, but now that it was off he was scared of both what he would do and what she would do to him in turn. What if it got too hot in coming weeks and either of them wished to sleep with their tunics off? What if he had another exciting dream and she could feel it in the night? These were frightening possibilities for the present and the future, but even then the more basic, desiring forces within him convinced the boy that the potential payoff was worth it.

Today was all about exploring the nearby town that was to give them some taste of civilization again after several months of cold isolation. He quickly noticed that there were more houses than people to live in them, an indication that the plague had not been exclusively relegated to a wayward hall but struck at all peoples, regardless of isolation or status of wealth. It was a town of fishing and was built around the piers. A half a dozen boats remained of a fleet that was probably twice the seize lined recently built wooden platforms that extended out a good ways into the ocean, dark blue and expansive, seeming intent to engulf the town if given the opportunity but for now but a mere object of scenery to be respectfully admired.

The people were of a tanned complexion, not of blood but from their lives. The older men had faces that had suffered greatly the afflictions the sun enjoys to bestow upon those that spend too long in its midst. They wore expressions that tired of a life at sea but that could not escape its call, and kept to themselves despite the presence of fair looking strangers. The women and children that they saw were often of a lighter, less beaten down complexion and kept watch to the sea, either to admire the beauty of the day or to offer prayers that a husband, son or brother might return. They wore elegant and longer reaching clothing than the men who dressed in attire fit for working, but appeared no less capable of holding their own in any manner of hardship. They were of the strong and competent stock that emerges in peoples long placed on the precipice of an infinite ocean, where learning how to tame the untamable and to survive the forces of nature's greatest weapon are a necessity.

Astrid and Hiccup took notice of the fact that while they regularly heard the tongue of the Franks oscillating around them in sharp peaks and wide gullies, a familiar set of tones was reminiscent of their own language. It was beginning to show signs of an amalgamation into the native language, but much of it was still comprehensible to these vagabonds of the North, a low and guttural language that older ones tended to speak in much the same way those on Berk continued to do. It was a surprising comfort to hear familiar words and phrases again after for so long being the only ones around that could speak it. They hoped to make use of this in time when establishing themselves here, no matter how much or little they came to rely upon these people in the coming weeks.

Seeking to hear more of the familiar words and to gain some knowledge on what the local affairs were, the two stopped in the public square at the middle of the village, featuring a large sundial and a few congregations of peoples all speaking of different matters of the day, be it local gossip or rumors of trouble in other nearby villages. There were three groups that were all somewhat intermingled into one, with some peoples constantly alternating between and spreading news from one person to another, the three entities constantly changing and shifting formation, one within themselves,

"They were the one thing that kept people coming to the town. What now?"

"Not many came before did they?"

"True but even so we rely on such people to bring the goods we cannot make ourselves, his death is a great misfortune."

"God have mercy upon him."

Phrases akin to this one were virtually all of what was heard by the two as they listened in. Most villagers paid them little notice, too engrossed in their conversation to care for a few young people who looked on bewildered. They stood a little off to the side, not wishing to make themselves too known for the moment and took to standing near the door of a bread maker, stomachs beginning to squeal at the scent of it baking inside. This was a village that had clearly been thriving before losing many people, that had enough people to warrant an individual man who baked bread for all and had enough notice to bring people from other lands here for whatever reason they were talking about.

"Any idea?" Astrid asked as the bread maker opened a window nearby them, looking out on the gossip and appearing mostly apathetic to it.

"No, they keep talking about it in a familiar way, all I can get is that there was somebody who was doing something important who is now dead."

"You two aren't from anywhere around here are you?" The baker called over to them. He was not fat, but had a face that was plush and full, with a short nose that hugged his face tightly and a short, uneven wad of brown hair that was thick with sweat, flour and the body's natural oils. Astrid and Hiccup looked to him surprised, stalling a moment and speaking to each other with eyes as to whether or not to engage in communication. Agreeing that no harm could come of it for the moment, Hiccup took the lead.

"Uh…yeah. How could you tell?"

"Your accent is thick like that of the older peoples around here, does not have the tones and dives of the more native peoples. You are from the North yes?"

"Yeah-yeah we are." While at first intimidated by the baker's sudden presence and wide, muscular body Hiccup was quickly growing comfortable. Having a conversation with another human being in his own language was a monumentally satisfying occurrence. "What is-what is happening? I mean….what is everyone around here talking about?"

"Ah!" The baker rolled his eyes and made a foreign gesture over his chest while looking up to the heavens a moment. "Yes a few weeks ago an old resident of the village-Sabastien- finally died at an old age. He was a great map maker he was-learned from a monk who illustrated the Scriptures and applied the skills to illustrating the land and the seas. People from around the Duchy came here to receive his maps-even the Duke and the King have both used his services to illustrate the lands of the realm when he could still travel in his younger days. They were gorgeous maps, true masterpieces if just by their beauty alone-never mind that they were accurate enough that the blind could use them! Now that he is dead, many are concerned that it will mean there is less business and travel here, and so there will be nobody to use the fish that all of our sailors bring in. Not only that, but the fishermen are always losing their maps or need new ones when they themselves trade them to other boats for supplies-the fools. It is a sad time for the village. At least I still make bread…people always seem to want it!"

The baker began to laugh, taking some pride that he had chosen the profession that was never out of fashion or use for mankind. His rant had quickly brought a fire to Astrid's eyes that worried Hiccup. He knew exactly where she was going in her procession of thought, and that it all revolved around a single anecdote between them that had happened on the Isle of Skye. He swallowed hard as he felt Astrid's breath disperse on his shoulder as she came up behind him, before her lips came to his ear and whispered the words he dreaded.

"Well…you _can_ make maps…and we _could_ use something to bring in some silver. I doubt we could really get away with stealing much stuff around here for long."

Hiccup turned to her with a nervous expression, none too optimistic about being conscripted to work for people that he did not know. "Come on you've seen mine…they're nowhere near the skill of a professional. They were just some amateur things I did in my spare time. Please Astrid don't-"

"Did they work?"

"Huh?"

She gave a long, exasperated sigh, knowing she had to break this down for the boy to make him accept the fate he was so reluctant to have forced upon him. "When we were back on Skye…you pulled out your maps to figure out where we were. You did so didn't you. Didn't you do the same thing when it came to getting to the Isle of Man or Ireland? They worked right?"

"Well-well Astrid you heard what he said. This guy's maps were works of art, beautiful, expensive things and-"

"Yours work Hiccup, isn't that all that matters? All a map needs to do is get you to a certain place doesn't it? Who cares if you're not some master at drawing or decoration? As long as you can get people where they need to go, what's the difference between any map you make and somebody else's?" Astrid looked deeply into his eyes, insistent and failing to understand why he could be nervous about such frivolous things. Maps were just like weapons, it did not matter how decorated it was so long as it could kill properly.

"Astrid I…" Hiccup stalled, trying to muster some kind of argument but finding that Astrid had him rhetorically pinned. They did need to make some silver to find some better blankets and clothes now that aging and use were making such things worn down and uncomfortable, and Toothless' tail wing system needed some tweaks and repairs that could only come with well made leather and metal that they had so far been unable to steal in any necessary quantity. "I mean…" She continued to stare him down, refusing to waver in her conviction that he had a responsibility to both themselves and the people around them.

"You heard the man Hiccup; they rely on maps to sustain themselves. Even if we are only here a little while, you can sustain them enough so that they could maybe bring in someone more professional. You're helping them; you're helping us, what's the problem?"

He stammered a moment, desperate to come up with some excuse to get out of such an obligation but finding that his conscious was overpowering his sense of laziness and apprehension. He gave forth a few more guttural sounds that always started out as words but only withered away into meaningless sounds. He lowered his head in defeat, earning a grin from Astrid. While victorious, she was no less sympathetic to him, knowing that she was resigning him to an episode of great effort on his part. Still, sacrifices were necessary at times. It was better one of time and toil than of sweat and blood.

"So baker…this map maker's workplace, where was it?"

The artisan of consumables raised an eyebrow at the young man's question, but breaking into a small smile at connecting the question to what traces of whispers he had heard. He pointed to across the village square, to a small building that was tucked in comfortably near another, larger hall from which protruded a high tower adorned with two interesting rods-which Astrid had told Hiccup was the symbol of the great religion adhered to by many in the South, one of the few facts she cared to remember from her days with Father Liam.

"There young lad was his station of work, his only remaining granddaughter lives in his old house I'm afraid. He liked to be close to the church so that he could always work on illuminating the scriptures when he wanted. He was only completed a few copies of it, but Father Raduard still has one-beautiful copies they are regardless. Why lad?"

"Oh well…just wondering if he had any leftover maps and such."

"Ah yes! He always kept older copies to work off of when he was crafting new ones. All his original manuscripts are still there, the granddaughter had no interest in them. Looking to check them over eh boy? You consider yourself a map maker from what I hear."

"Well I don't-"

"Map maker?"

_"Mon Dieu!"_

_"Un sauveur nous est arrivé !"_

A few who had overheard those two fateful words scrambled towards Hiccup, their panic inspiring the others as word spread of a man who had come to once more trace the lines on parchment and save the town. Herds of people scrambled towards him, pushing aside others and trying to catch a glimmer of this person. Hiccup quickly backed up against wall of the bakery and became terrified at the sudden onslaught of attention.

"Where do you come from?

_"Parlez-vous français?"_

"You can make ones of the sea yes?"

"Uh…" The boy was truly flabbergasted at the sudden burst of attention. Questions came from every direction and only the low, dominating voice of the baker could maintain any sense of order. Life had suddenly gone from being quiet to loud and frantic. He knew he now had a task to perform, but he was truly shocked by the fervent desire for his amateur craft. When survival was on the line, it appeared that anybody who could even remotely perform the necessary task was treated as a god. It was terrifying in its gratification, intimidating in the responsibility suddenly thrust upon him. He looked to his left only to see Astrid's studded tassels shaking away from him, slipping out past the encircling crowd and leaving him to his work and adoption into the new environment.

"Wait! Wait! Where are you going?! Astrid?!"

She turned to him with a playful smile and a smug satisfaction that she had twisted life once more to her benefit. Granted it may have been the best for all of them, but she knew that it was going to fall on Hiccup to provide this advancement for her and Toothless. He had to accept a responsibility he held to provide, and when opportunity presents itself, that responsibility must be taken irrelevant of lethargy or apprehension.

"What are you looking at me for? I'm not the map maker!" She turned away and reveled in feeling the leather tassels spinning below her waist. The crowds ignored her as they crowded around Hiccup, dragging him towards the workspace of the old map maker and singing songs of praise and joy at their sudden deliverance. Astrid walked on, leaving the Hiccup to his fate as she sought out her own.

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

The entire area surrounding the village was quite pleasing to a multitude of the senses. The air smelled of life and Spring; of budding wildflowers and trees which sought to cleanse the air of man's impurities. The sky was again clear and the sun demonstrating its true capacity to warm as Astrid performed a lazy walk in the surrounding hills. Birds sung melody and counterpoint to each other, as joyous as she at the beauty of mostly unspoiled countryside in which the girl roamed.

She'd first walked back up to the house where she made a quick lunch of some salted pork that she had stolen on a raid at one of the castles. It was close to the last of it, and she knew that it would serve them all well to utilize this town for food and supplies in the coming weeks. She had been wise to conscript Hiccup to the duty of making maps. Her coercion would serve him well, even if he couldn't see it for now. He _should_ count himself as grateful that this was all he had to do, that he was being spared anything like true hard labor and was being resigned to drawing all day. How could anyone complain about that? Granted Astrid could, but only because she knew she couldn't draw very well at all. If it was hard labor that needed to be done, she would have volunteered herself. But to each his own talent, and Hiccup's talent-as little as he thought of it-was what was going to hold them over for now.

There was almost some guilt to be had in leaving him to the devices of desperate Frenchmen, but thinking back upon it she still smiled. Seeing his expression, yearning for her company and protection in the midst of chaos was gratifying. He was so frightened even in a mostly harmless situation, terrified of being left alone without her. She though it funny, yet at the same time rather sweet. To know that she was such a rock of stability and security to him, that her absence was so startling made her feel powerful, yet in a way that made her want to return to him, to give him consolation and protection once more. He was like a startled child, one that she wanted to care for. She knew she would return to him in time, but for now her baby had to see what one part of this world was like all on his own. She would be here to give him her affection later tonight.

She began to walk down the hill on which she had been walking, making for the opposite side of the village. She had missed seeing it since she had abandoned Hiccup to the Franks to be put to work and made for the hills, but now decided that whatever uproar there might have been would have died down by now and that she could once more survey the land without hassle. Life was now once more tranquil; she was alone to explore this land on her own, to find something to occupy herself while Hiccup was away. The poor boy, probably pushed into a small house and trying to decipher maps in a foreign language and to create replicas. They would probably have a lot to talk about whenever he got back to their house.

_Their_ house, the thought made her smile. To finally have someplace stable and comfortable to be that they could both agree-to varying degrees- was for the best. The thought that she would have somebody to come home to again, that she was going to share an actual bed with someone else and enjoy it at last. There was so much to enjoy now, in this oasis of stability and direction after months of wayward travels. She had a place to call her own, a place where a boy that she may or may not owe an apology would be sleeping next to her in comfort and tranquility.

A boy that she almost thinking of checking up on, to break him away from his new found work and touch his lips, first with her fingers and then with her own. To be held up tight close to him, to dig her nails into his back and slowly scrape them downwards, towards his ass that she was increasingly feeling an odd compulsion to squeeze for the hell of it. She couldn't quite place why she would ever want to touch it, why it was so appealing to hold that part of him tightly and possessively. Perhaps that was it, possession, to hold onto something she wanted, even if she didn't know why she wanted it. She wanted to hold onto that, to use it as leverage as she slowly rounded the rim of his trousers, dipping her thumbs underneath, pulling down and-

She shook her head, knowing she was getting carried away. That had been the second time in last four days, and such things were making her anxious. It was one thing to kiss him, it was something strange-almost taboo-to contemplate what would come after. Yet her persistence in the first act only made the second inevitable, or so she feared. And while she feared it, each time she thought about such things only made her want to think about it more, a never ending cycle where thoughts led to further thoughts, fantasy to further fantasy and desire to further desire. As pleasurable as such thoughts were, it was their pleasure, the fact that she knew herself to be actively thinking about them that made her uncomfortable. To know that she was capable of such desires was unsettling, and made her heart beat a little faster whenever she kissed him.

Such thoughts were dismissed for now as she slipped past the first few houses at the outer part of the village. She had no want for the complicated pleasures of the flesh when there were the simpler pleasures of the natural world and exploration to indulge in. Such things could wait till later, when he was holding her in the still of darkness and she could contemplate what it was like to have those hands touching her in places other than her arms.

_"Encore!"_

A quick series of masculine grunts of effort came from her left, followed by a sharp clash of steel that immediately registered to her as the use of weapons. She turned quickly and made to find the cause of this exotic, enticing sound.

_"Je vous ai dit, arrêtez avec les coups en haut !" _

_"Oh pour l'amour de Dieu, je sais!"_

_"Si vous le savez, alors pourquoi continuez-vous de le faire ?!"_

One of the voices was young and high pitched, while the other was low and old in temperament if not in body. There was one more clash of steel that drew Astrid closer to the point of confrontation, where she could hear some more grumbles in the French tongue that were trimmed with emotions of anger and resentment that transcend all language.

She rounded the side of a house to see two men gathered in a small, quartered off patch of worn dirt. They were a few paces distant from each other, and brandished shimmering, well polished weapons swords. One-wearing only a small, round helmet with nose guard- appeared no more than a few years older than her but who held himself in an air of superiority, whose hold of the sword was not based in skill but pretentious other man wore many overlapping layers of chainmail and leather, and sported a conical helmet that gleamed in the sunlight. His right hand held a sword, his left clenched in an angry fist. He was not too old to fight but certainly beyond the age where he could be counted on in the thick of true fighting. His face was pale but worn down by time in the sun and stresses of a fighting life.

Astrid's presence drew the attention of both, who lowered their weapons and looked at her with equal parts curiosity and irritation.

_"Puis-je vous aider?"_ The young one asked with a tapping foot and squinted eyes. The older one was more patient and showed genuine interest, and stuck his sword into the ground while giving a pointing finger of interest.

"You are the girl that was with the map maker yes?"

His accent was caught between that of the North and the confusing one in which the natives spoke. He was nonetheless comprehensible, so Astrid nodded with a curiosity as to his character and the extent of his knowledge. The young one folded his arms, clearly angered that whatever session of combat that had been going on had been interrupted.

"Several had come to me to tell of the good news this morning, said that a boy with brown hair and a girl with armor on her skirt had arrived and that while the map maker had been conscripted for making the maps, that the girl had fled. I assume the riff-raff scared you off?"

He began to chuckle as he came to within a few paces of her. He was nearly as tall as her father but with a kinder, more understanding demeanor. Feeling more comfortable now around this stranger she spoke up, hoping to clear her mind with conversation.

"Well…you could say that. I just knew it would be easier to leave Hiccup-that's his name-there quickly so that everything could get settled as fast as possible. Now that some time has passed I figured I'd come back down to town and explore some more."

The man raised an eyebrow at Hiccup's name, before a moment of contemplation led him to an answer he already knew.

"Ah yes…the name given to the runts in the old land. Mmh…you are a long way from home then…"

"Astrid. My name is Astrid."

"Ah! Yes beautiful name that one, sadly one increasingly unused in these parts." He pursed his lips together and gestured to the rest of the village, shaking his head with a regretful disdain.

He turned towards where he had last been; a small lot of cleared land devoid of grass and identified with a small, low wooden fence. "Conan! Meet Astrid! Astrid, that over there is Sir Conan of Vannes, currently training with me. Come meet him, we were just in the middle of some sword play." The older man was genial, with a smile as yet to be diminished by the march of time and who exuded both a life of militancy through which a gentle heart still pervaded.

She complied and followed the man, interested in the sparring he described and to the temperament of this other man in armor, who folded his arms and scowled at her as the two approached, exhibiting an impatience that was quickly getting on Astrid's nerves. The square was small and fit only for sparing for one on one combat-maybe two on two if shorter weapons were being used. The square jutted out from a small house of sound construction but appearing only fit for a single man to live in. At the back of the square was a rack lined with weapons, immediately catching her eye and especially calling her attention to the axe which hung near the top of the rack.

"My name is Godefroy." The old one started as he entered the square, Astrid taking a lean on the outside of the fence."Sir Godefroy of Countaces if you wish to be specific. I am descendent of our kind of people who came to settle these lands many generations ago, even if they now adopt the language and dress and customs of the Franks. I am myself included in this, taking the titles and benefits they wish to bestow upon me as our cultures unite into one. Hence my full name, making me a knight in their eyes." He looked to Conan a moment, who gave a scoff and a nod to the girl and began to spin his sword in his hand, eager to get back to the fight.

"Knight? What does that mean?" Astrid inquired, curious at the foreign sounding words and how it related to Godefroy.

"Ah…yes it means that I am considered a noble among these people-was at least until I moved here. It means I am a man who fights not for myself but for others, who defends those who cannot defend themselves against the attacks of malevolent people. I am a warrior not for plunder or fame but for justice…used to be…"

He looked to Astrid who had raised an eyebrow at his regretful tone. Knowing that he had her interest he continued.

"For many years I did indeed follow these callings well and was considered in good esteem by others. However…a decade ago I was challenged to a duel by another in Countaces on the accusation that I had defiled his young daughter. The man was my rival for years, and I know he only performed such an accusation because he wanted to end the good stature I held in the eyes of Duke Robert. I was innocent mind you, but God did not see me as worthy of demonstrating such in my duel with this man, and so I was defeated. Shamed and bereft of support among my fellow knights, I withdrew to this village, as they were welcoming to me and desired my abilities to aid in their defense."

Godefroy looked beyond Astrid to the surrounding buildings, gesturing to them with smile of gratitude. "Some still come from around the neighboring area to learn what they can from me, as they know I am still a skilled man in combat."

"Like-"

"Yes! Like this fellow right here who still can't seem to stop using those damned overhead strikes, eh Conan?" Godefroy gestured to Conan with a nod, but only met a scowl and a raising of the sword.

"Yes Sir Godefroy, but we continue now yes?"

The older man, narrowed his eyes at the young one, sensing an eagerness and lack of patience that those with power enjoy exploiting for the sake of irritating others. He kept Conan waiting as he turned back to Astrid, flailing an arm at the younger man as a sign to wait.

"So Astrid…" Godefroy spoke up again, drawing her attention back to him directly. "You and this Hiccup, you are quite far away from home yes? Your accent is thick and your clothing is still in the old style. What brings you to this land?"

Her blood began to cool in anxiety before her determination reminded her that lying really wasn't the hardest of things to do. "Oh well…well…our family! Yes our families were visiting the land of the Angles and we…Hiccup didn't like his family and he ran away. I came with him because…well we-"

"Lovers?" Godefroy took a few steps forward, a smile on his face and refusing Astrid to counter his words. "Ha…oh yes living up to the songs of the wanderers you are then? Oh young love…always a thing of beauty it is. To break free from the oppression of elders to discover such a glorious thing! God be praised!"

Godefroy had momentarily slipped the bonds of reality and seemed to dive back into a world all his own, blue eyes glistening with internal joys that Astrid could not understand. She wanted to correct him and say that he was mistaken, but felt it cruel to take away such a feeling from a man now so engrossed in his own thoughts. Refusing to further contemplate his own implications for her-and not daring to even contemplate the matter herself-she let him have his moment while further distorting truth.

"Yes…just a couple of lovers who caught the first ship that would take us to the mainland and we're just-just roaming around, looking for someplace to set down roots." Her reply had the air of sheepishness, but the knight took this to be more so out of the embarrassment of revealing such feelings than a more malicious fabrication of them.

"Interesting. I wish you God's blessing. Do you need lodging since you are in town then? I can make-"

"No! No that's alright we've…we found that there was this abandoned house way up in the hills that we're using…since I assume no one is right?"

"Ah! Aleran's house?! Oh yes, Devil's scourge took his whole family at the start of winter, tragedy that. Man made toys for the children in town and sold some to people who came here for Sabastien's maps. Was always trying to make his craft just as appreciated as the old man's. Alas sailors don't have much use for wooden horses! Good to see that place is being put to good use for now…better some wayward lovers use it than just any old vagabond."

"Sir Godefroy…may we _please_ return to practice? You can speak with this nomad later; there are more important things to do right now yes?" Conan continued to stomp his foot to on the ground and was rolling his fingers along the hilt of his sword. The elder knight left Astrid with an exasperated smile before turning to face the younger warrior, who had raised his sword in anticipation. Astrid settled her head against her hands, prepared for a show.

Godefroy rolled his eyes as he stepped in front of Conan, raising his own sword and taking a deep, preparatory breath. "Still eager to fail aren't you? Very well then Sir Conan…_"De nouveau!_"

Conan quickly accepted the challenge and took a fierce swing from the side towards the elder knight, who brought his sword up quickly and easily held back the blow with little effort. Conan paced forward, trying to lock the hilt of his sword with Godefroy's. The elder instead shifted right, giving no receiver to the energy Conan put forward and letting the young man tumble forwards.

Angered at the mockery, Conan quickly recovered and swung upwards, only to have Godefroy again dodge and counter strike with his own blade. Though Conan could evade the admittedly slow to come strike, he instead took his sword up above his shoulder and came down with it in a sideways motion. Godefroy turned his blade to the flat side and took it in both his hands in a defensive stance, catching the swing and absorbing the shock before taking one hand off the blade and punching Conan between his nose guard and the side of his helmet. Conan began to pull backwards before finding that the elder knight had already maneuvered his blade around and held it within a breath's distance of Conan's neck, a sign of restraint that marked another victory for Godefroy.

The elder knight began to chuckle at seeing the strained, angry face of the young man. "And yet you still keep up the overhead strikes…why?" To the younger knight this defeat seemed unworthy of his character and most of all insulting. The playful, light hearted demeanor of Godefroy only served to anger him more.

"Yeah…you really should never use those unless you've got your opponent on the ground and are going for the final blow." Astrid had expected her advice to be taken lightly and in the spirit of trust that exists between all those proficient with weapons. Instead, Conan turned to her with a rage in his eyes.

"Oh?! You are suddenly an expert with swords young lady?" His tone spoke to wounded pride and a self conscious doubt in his own abilities. Never caring for such attitudes-especially from any sparring partner who couldn't take criticism-Astrid decided to taunt rather than make apologies.

"Well I tend to prefer the axe more, but I can really do well with anything so long as it's well made." Astrid had been eyeing one axe in particular that rested on the rack. Though it was not of the doubled sided variety she was more used to-featuring instead one blade and a spiked tip for thrusting-it looked of quite respectable construction and well maintained. Godefroy could see her interest and was quick to mediate between the two sides.

"Is this so then? Conan?! What say you to a more even match in terms of age then? Care to test what skill she has against yours eh?"

Conan scoffed at the proposal the moment it left Godefroy's lips as thought it were a joke, thought against who he could not see. "Come now Sir Godefroy, surely you know that a true knight never takes up arms against any manner of lady."

"Yes this is true…but a true knight also never speaks to a lady in the way that you have, so thus it would still be fitting to you to act in such an un-chivalrous way." Though Astrid did not quite know what sort of virtues or codes the two men were talking about, the insult pertaining to such drew a scowl from Conan's face before his sword was raised and his expression turned to a stony determination.

"Well then if I am not a true knight…let me demonstrate my full skills on this girl. We shall see true potential then yes?"

Astrid felt a new surge of excitement pulse through her at the opportunity, quickly summing up Conan's appearance and judging him an opponent worthy only of the value of the armor which he wore. From what she'd seen he appeared a man who relied more on the station and appearance of a warrior than of actual skill to survive in the world. Since she had both skill and-if Hiccup's stares of both wonder and fear weren't enough to prove it-the looks of the shield maiden she aspired to be then she had already won this skirmish, to which she looked to Godefroy and nodded in an approval of the challenge.

Godefroy motioned her into the square and to the rack of weapons near the house. She quickly made for the armory while Conan looked on in amusement, doing his own to sum her up-and taking extra time to admire her more feminine parts hidden beneath stylish armor and increasingly tight clothes. Astrid pointed to the axe, grinning at the sight of it and with a nod of approval from the Norman she leaned in and picked it up, finding that despite the single blade it was balanced enough at the pummel so that it wasn't _too_ blade heavy. She let it slide through her hand a few times and made light practice swings away from Godefroy, who smiled at seeing good techniques and genuine interest in the weapon.

"The last weapon I had bought before my duel. I keep them all in as good a condition as I can, since different pupils tend to prefer different things. I stay with the sword…but I suppose I'm just old fashioned."

"Yeah?" Feeling the well polished wood slipping through her fingers and tightly held within her palms was an experience Astrid truly adored. She hadn't truly realized how much she'd missed this since leaving her axe of old back on Berk, probably now rusting after being left in the elements for so long. To feel her always beloved style of weapon in her possession once more was beyond gratifying, drawing forth a side of her she hadn't needed too much of for the duration of her absence from Berk. The longing to swing at a target, to feel the adrenaline rush when your sparring partner is coming at you with break-neck speed and it's do or die. To put your life on the line just so that you can be better for when it really matters, a central part of her personality since she could first lift a knife.

"Well, I'm ready. Conan-"

"_Sir_ Conan to you girl…" The young one lazily said as he brought his sword into a fighting position. Astrid brushed off the gesture and saw no reason why she had to address him by what he pleased when he had yet to prove himself as an honorable and respectable person. Godefroy moved to the side, trying to a hide a smirk at what he expected to be no less than an interesting fight. Astrid steadied her breath, did what she could to still her heart and brought the axe into a comfortable position between her two hands.

"Alright Conan…when you're ready."

"Saint Denis!"

Without a moment of hesitation Conan quickly moved forward with a downward slice of his sword. Astrid avoided the sloppy opening move quickly with a step to the side before raising her own axe and coming at Conan form the side. The knight was able to pull back quickly enough so that Astrid could follow through with the missed swing. He came back with a lunge towards her chest. Astrid stepped to the side again but this time pushed forward, changing the position of the axe in her hand and striking the butt into Conan's ribs, sending the knight backwards with a pained grunt.

"…bitch." Conan growled as he recovered and lunged at her again before Astrid could follow up on her strike. He paused in his attack and brought around his sword to swing at her. Acting on reflect she brought up the axe to counter the blow, and the sword found its target not in a winning move but in smacking into a piece of wood, barely making serious dent in the yew shaft. Quickly removing her axe from the blade Astrid pushed the shaft forward, driving the side of it towards Conan's face and startling him. Taking advantage of this, she pressed forward and rushed the tumbling man, sending him onto his back with the assistance of a tripping foot. With a war cry she hoisted the axe above her head and brought it down on the man who closed his eyes in peril.

Conan opened up to see the world again only after a few moments where no impact had taken place. He did feel a pressure on his chest, and found it was Astrid' s foot pushing down on his ribs. She held the axe with one hand, the blade a hand's distance from his chest and the spear tip nearly touching his nose guard.

"Denis can kiss my ass…_bitch._"

"Ahhahaha! Very well done there Astrid." Godefroy exclaimed with joy from his position, thrilled at seeing such a fight unfold instead of having to participate. He pushed himself up from his lean against the fence and walked forward, giving a few claps of appreciation. "Perhaps more of a knight than you there eh Conan?"

Astrid removed her foot from the younger knight and turned to face Godefroy, holding the axe eagerly and calming her breath after the brief dance with accidental death that always accompanies sparring. The look of fear, of being totally overwhelmed through sheer force that she had seen on Conan's face was making her giddy, as though she had just overcome a truly great enemy instead of some young, arrogant prick with poor form.

_C'est tout! __Je __ne suis pas venu __ici pour __solliciter votre __tutelle __seulement pour être __moqué __et __usurpé par __une fille! __Je démissionne!"_

Conan was quick to push himself up from the ground and dust himself off with an aggravated, defeated scowl. He grabbed his sword and the nearby scabbard and stormed out of the square with a reddening face, turning back to Astrid and Godefroy with a flourished hand as he managed out a few last words as his voice wavered with a surge of emotion.

_"Je serai important un jour, tu verras"_

He stormed away as a child does from embarrassment, leaving the other two in a temporarily awkward silence before Astrid felt a sudden, apologetic urge to speak.

"Sorry! I-"

Godefroy raised a hand to stop her. "Quite alright Astrid. As you can see he is not exactly the kind who enjoys learning from mistakes, but rather thinks that mistakes are an aberration to a God given talent. Such minds cannot be changed and are unfit for knighthood, but such are the risks when you insist on making those unfit for combat warriors nonetheless." Godefroy went and placed his sword back on the rack of weapons, resting the hilt between two pegs and then removing his helmet, revealing a short, disorganized wad of blonde hair that was losing yet another battle in the knight's life as grey marched steadily from strand to strand without mercy.

Astrid took a few steps forward, extending the axe for the knight to stack as well-which he proceeded to do with appreciation for her consideration. It pained her to separate from the weapon for the moment, but protocol regardless of place and time requested that no sparring partner be armed while the other wasn't. Her courtesy won her another smile from Godefroy who stretched his back and looked up to the sun, appreciative for the beautiful day.

"The studded skirt told me you were some kind of warrior…I hadn't expected that exactly hahaha…very impressive that there." He walked over towards the fence of the square, looking out to the village which was currently quiet and caught in the usual lull of mid-afternoon.

"Yeah…father was preparing me for the raids and so forth." She smiled at her own pride and that which she felt emanating from the elder knight. He took a moment to look her over, making note of visible muscle, size, and considering her past performance.

"You know…Conan was my only pupil for now. Granted I know you would never qualify as a knight and you are only here for a short while…it would be a shame for what things I know to be just passed over by a warrior as competent and skilled as-"

Astrid was the one that this time raised a hand to stop the other, and after a moment of contemplation that hardly needed to be done she nodded with longing, invigorated eyes.

"Ready when you are…_Sir_ Godefroy."

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

**Hello Peoples!**

**So, this chapter was again delayed but thankfully not as much as last time. Would have had it up last night, but talks with my Beta revealed that I had to do some serious overhauling of scene three in order to make this chapter more interesting, so I hope the return was worth the wait. This is a bit of a transition chapter so I hope it wasn't too dry for you. Life is once again chaotic this week and looks like it shall continue to be so for the next few weeks as final papers need to be written and exams prepared for. I will keep trying to churn out a chapter a week or as close to that schedule as possible, but the upload schedule may be a little hectic for the next few weeks-just for your knowledge.**

**Hope you liked this chapter, if so reviews etc. are always appreciated and let me know that the story is going in a good direction. More exciting things are yet to come! I'll see you…when I can I guess!**

**-Mc.**


	17. Blood, Sweat and Tears

Everything burned.

That had been the order and it was carried through to the letter. Even after the worst of the inferno had consumed itself into oblivion, the glowing embers of once bustling streets still pulsed out heat into the cool evening air. Han the Sentry endured the vortex of warmth that surrounded him and made him sweat beneath his leather armor. He stood at attention, staying quiet and stoic in the face of utter devastation. His entire horizon consisted of nothing but black charred remains, empty skeletons of residences that had once been, their owners either dead corpses in the street of one more dark, unrecognizable object in the crumbled ruins of civilization.

The siege had lasted all of a week, and yet had perhaps been more destructive than the legendary ones that lasted months or even years. The army sailed along the Northwestern coast of the Black Sea for a month before turning towards a river and marching inwards. Many had been concerned that they would have to leave their boats on which they had lived for months behind upon seeing the shallows of the river, but once more their glorious commander and revealed his true power.

Han the Sentry had been frightened at first when the strange monster that had been responsible for pulling many of the mast-less ships of fleet had revealed itself. Many had thought that they were pulled along by an army of sea serpents or by a captured angel enslaved by the commander. Instead, the titanic dragon that had surfaced from the water was more terrifying than any of their predictions or dreams. It was only more impressive when the commander and swirled around his bull-hook and with a few guttural screams bent the creature to his whim like a frightened dog. Such an action only further served to win the commander respect in the eyes of every soldier who made for marching ranks and trudged onward into the cold, following behind the mammoth dragon that portaged the boats along with the strength of its back.

The first few battles and raids were easier than Han the Sentry could have ever thought combat to be. Armies in the field were subject to intensive assault by the other, smaller dragons under the commander's control, burning many where they stood regardless of armor or bravery. A single charge by the infantry was all that was needed to break the survivors once the dragons had been pulled back. Cities likewise either surrendered immediately, or faced the wrath of draconic assault that would set whole neighborhoods alight only to be further stormed by the infantry-Han the Sentry sometimes included. The great dragon that could tower over cities themselves was held back during battles, already weighed down with the boats and too constrained to be of much assistance in battle-not that it was ever needed.

Then there had come Kiev, which with a large contingent of soldiers and impressive walls had defied the commander for several days as dragons were shot down with ballista and catapult and assaults on the walls were pushed back with burning oil and cold steel. Han the Sentry had been promoted to a guard of the commander during this time, and watched with great fear as the commander's eyes grew bitter and wrathful with each repudiated attack. Finally, in the early hours of the morning when darkness still prevailed a risky plan that the commander had not wanted to implement was sprung on the city. Every dragon that was available descended from the darkness and released fire upon every building they could. The entire army had assaulted the walls with ladders and ropes and joined in the fiery chaos that engulfed the city. While the commander had no problems using fire to force a surrender from a city, razing it was not a preferable option as it meant less plunder to be had when the city finally capitulated. Yet facing continued defeat with the old tactics had forced his one and only hand, and the city in which Han the Sentry stood was nothing but kindling ruins.

Little stood of the city now save for a few lucky, isolated buildings or those made of brick and stone. It had been a drawn out, calculated assault. The city had burned while the entire army went for the walls with ladders, quickly overwhelming the defenders this time as so many tried helplessly to extinguish the fire that raged behind them. Then it was a matter of parading through fire lined streets, striking down survivors. Han the Sentry kept towards the back of the raging companies that stormed down alleys and main roads in a broad sweep, striking down all inhabitants they came across, regardless of whether or not they tried to fight back.

With men the preferred method was to run them through or go straight for the chest. Those that fought back would typically receive either an extra strike in the abdomen or a slash across the neck for their actions. Those that fled mostly received a stab or two through the back or a slice to the legs that would bring them down, followed by a killing blow as they pleaded for mercy on their back. Women tended to receive blows more to the head, either decapitation with sword or axe, a strike through the neck with a spear or a good mace whack right to the cranium. Children were dealt with more mercifully than the adults, and instead were mostly shoved into the inferno and left to burn by their own devices. After all, what kind of a monster would dare take a sword to a mere child?

This had continued for much of the afternoon, total slaughter as companies fanned out through the city and each dealt with their respective sections. A few smaller detachments had been deployed to the different gates scattered along the walls and killed any who managed to avoid the roaming death in the streets as they sought freedom beyond the city limits. The commander had entered late in the day, when the last few pockets of resistance were neutralized and the worst of the blaze had died down. He had given the permission for the rest of the army to go about and take what loot they could find in the ruins. Han the Sentry understood that this was not a siege that would turn up much in the way of gold or silver which most soldiers desired, but would instead serve as an example to other cities further in Rusland that resistance was futile-a noble gesture considering Han the Sentry would not want a fate such as this to befall every city they subsequently came across.

Han the Sentry stood to the left of the commander, who had been mostly silent since arriving in the city save for orders given to company commanders. In the plains beyond the walls the great dragon which catered to the commander's whims rested, conserving its energy before it would once more be called upon to drag a fleet across the steppes as the march continued North. Kiev had been the main target for now, Han the Sentry knew that much. With this great, unifying force now gone in the region, the commander had told Han the Sentry that further marches should be easier and less time consuming. They could expect to reach the Baltic Sea by the end of Summer, and preparations were already being made with contacts far to the North to ready for the army's arrival-from which the assaults on the lands of the Norsemen could begin. Han the Sentry was very excited for when this would happen, for he had been told that there were even more dragons in the Northern lands. The commander would have entire legions of the beasts under his control and none would stop him. Han the Sentry had never been prouder or more confident in the man he knew as his superior and leader.

A few soldiers carried forward the weakened but still alive body of a man who wore disheveled and tattered clothing that may have at one point indicated wealth or authority, but now appeared no more elegant than the rags worn by the poor. He was dragged towards the Han the Sentry and the commander while the tips of his feet scraped across the ground, pulled on his arms towards the two of them without concern for his well being or respect for whatever station he might have previously held. He was thrown to the ground before the commander, who took two steps forward and stared down at the man, who slowly pushed himself onto his hands and knees. He was looking up both towards the commander, and towards the sky where he knew his spirit was destined to go.

"You dared to resist…why?" A low growl came from the commander's throat, begging the weak looking man's attention and redirecting the dead stare of his grey eyes.

"I-we-we do not surrender-ever. I am a descendent of the North…we do not surrender." His voice trembled not out of fear but with a resignation for life and an eagerness to do away with it. The commander's expression remained stoic and brooding.

"I am aware. And yet even faced with total destruction your people fight on…"

"We fight until we die. This is how a warrior lives."

"Oh? But you are still alive… you are a poor excuse of a warrior..." The commander slowly raised his bull-hook in the air, face unchanging but muscles tense with excitement. Han the Sentry reared his head back, expecting quite a splash of blood. The most important and now last man to die in the breaking of Kiev's will seemed not to care, pronouncing defiance in word but defeat in mind. The weak man lowered his head, knowing what was to come and praying for it to be short. The assembled soldiers looked on with anticipation, eager to see their commander join them in the orgy of blood that was sadly coming to an end.

"Regardless...I will grant you a warrior's death."

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

"Just use the spear point for once, it's there for a reason!"

Taking the advice to heart-at last-Astrid brought the axe in from a curved angle past her shoulder and lunged at Godefroy's chest. The old man was still more agile than his age let on and took a quick step back and let Astrid throw herself into the lunge, setting her off balance. She managed not to tumble forward but pulled back until she was out of the reach of his sword. She came back in with another swing from behind her shoulder, this time emphasizing the axe blade as her striking tool. Godefroy stepped back only a foot's length and with his sword in the air brought it down against the back of the axe, sending it into the ground.

"Never expect that your opponent is just going to stand there and take an axe blow for the fun of it dear."

"How about wood?"

"Huh-"

Astrid pushed the entire length of the axe handle forward towards the knight. Godefroy drew his sword back and held the shaft in place but could not hold against the surprising force Astrid put behind it, driving him back several paces before he could dig into the ground and hold firm against the rush of strength the girl pushed at him. Regaining his own composure he pushed forward with his sword, driving Astrid back a few paces before she leaped back by her own volition and came in with another swing from the side towards Godefroy's armor, but found that the knight was already swinging his blade towards her. With so much energy put into her swing, she was helpless to stop the momentum and awaited a loss with eyes that closed a moment in fear.

"Got you…"

Astrid opened her eyes and found that the knight's sword was within a coin's distance of her neck, held steady by a skilled hand on the hilt. The axe blade had missed his leg by the same distance, the spear point doing nothing when sliding against the chainmail on his thigh. He gave forth a few heavy breaths at the quick duel between the two. Astrid took a hard swallow as she began to step away, conceding her loss and bringing her axe back to down. Godefroy relaxed as well and began to give a few chuckles in relief that the flirtation with death that was sparring with cold steel was over.

"Not bad that time, you are getting better at improvising during the moment."

"Yeah? Thanks." Astrid stuck the spear tip of the axe into the ground and ran a hand through her bangs. The sun was growing stronger, had been for the past week they'd spent in this town. Hiccup often complained of the unbearable heat in the workshop that only added to his stress, but at least he was out of the direct sunlight for now and did not have to deal with reddening and pealing skin like Astrid. Apparently skin was supposed to tan after a while in the sun, but the gods had apparently forgotten to give her this trait when she was crafted. Perhaps eventually, but for now her exterior knew only a persistent burning and a constant shedding of the outer layers which only led to further skin being burned, etc.

"You just need to focus on using that spear tip more. It's not just on there for decoration." Godefroy gestured to the point that held the axe up of its own volition as Astrid ran both hands across her shoulders to relieve the tense muscles at the cost of provoking the sensitive skin. "That…and you also need to stop being so overly aggressive in your attacks. I understand you come from a land where such things are still preferred, but a knight is not so robust and reckless in his strikes."

"Oh?" Astrid asked with a mark of irritation. Every day Godefroy would go on for a time about one of the ideals of "chivalry" and "honor", the former word totally foreign to her and the second meaning an apparently different thing to the French than to her. She could not understand when Godefroy told of the many times he had bested a knight but had let him live, stating that "virtuous men do not kill other virtuous men" and that victory lay not in death, but in a demonstration of proper skill. His ramblings about the correct way that a knight was to interact with other knights, with respect and courtesy and only resorting to force when necessary astounded her and almost made her question his name of being a warrior-before once again being bested in sparring with a man nearly three times her age.

"Yes, a knight knows when to use force but not too much. Such is what separates us from the heathens in the East and such as yourself who rely only on brute force to smash your enemies. There is an art to these things after all."

"Art?" Astrid nearly scoffed at his assertion. It was one thing to call combat a skill, but art was something nearly ludicrous. It was what you did to survive, period. It was not something to be shown to others as anything more than proof that you were the best. She was once more skeptical of this rambling man and his strange ways, and went to take some water from her canteen while he began.

"Yes! But of course! Combat is not something that should be performed recklessly, for the sake of destruction!" Godefroy stabbed his sword into the ground and went to lean on the fence, similar to Astrid who was enjoying her respite from combat even if it meant listening to the romantic notions of a disgraced knight.

"Perhaps in the North, where the dragons still plague peoples such as yourself you may see it as survival, as a basic aspect of life but here?! No my friend here fighting, combat, war itself is an art, perfected with each one that occurs. One does not swing a sword to survive, but to show his skill! Every pace, every movement is a step in the dance of combat; each person involved doing his part to add to the splendor of glorious battle!"

Astrid raised an eyebrow at the knight's boisterous claims and went back to take her axe from the ground, intent to resume practice and to try and spare herself more from his lecture. Godefroy went to take his sword on the cue to resume, but did not cease in his dissertation.

"After all, what is the point of taking a life that is too worthy to be taken? Only the incompetent, the arrogant, those who fight not with skill but with anger and rage are fit to die in combat. Should a man fight another man-or woman in this case-who displays restraint, skill, and who fights with a noble heart then there is no point to death, for why would you wish to extinguish such good people from this world?"

"Because they're your enemy?" Astrid started forward with her axe, going for one of the spear strikes the knight constantly requested she make. She drove forward with a fierce accompanied by a war cry. Godefroy raised his blade and held it in front of him, letting it catch the axe in the space between the spear point and the blade. He took a step back to absorb the shock, denying the spear a target. Astrid tried to push the blade aside, but the knight held firm with a plain, amused expression.

"Only those who lack restraint and nobility may be counted as an enemy. One who fights as well as you should be treated with the upmost respect, as if you were fighting yourself." Godefroy maneuvered the axe down with his blade and pushed inward, removing his sword from union with Astrid's weapon and bringing it upwards in a diagonal strike. Astrid leaped back and avoided the strike but found her feet weak on the ground and nearly fell. While recovering, she found it odd that Godefroy had not gone for her while she was weak and vulnerable, but walked forward with sword ready.

"I was down…why didn't you come in for a blow to my side?"

"A knight never attacks a worthy enemy while he is down; it is unfair to him if he is not given the chance to properly defend himself." Godefroy brought his sword to a proper defensive stance and nodded to Astrid. "After all, what honorable thing can be said of a person who can only defeat his enemy while he's incapable of defending himself?

Astrid leaped forward with axe behind shoulder, bringing it down in a powerful swing but finding Godefroy had once more gotten away. Not wasting a second, she charged forward with the spear point, catching the knight off guard a moment before he removed a hand from the grip of his sword and smacked the axe out of the way on its bladeless side. Astrid pulled back and brought the weapon to bear for another swing, lashing at Godefroy with speed and determination and finding that-while the axe itself missed-the spear tip came close to landing on his armor. Taking this as an opportunity she lunged forward again, smiling as she sensed a victory at long last.

"Come on!" She screamed as she maneuvered the spear towards the knight, who leaned his head back ahead of the strike. Astrid pushed in, but found a sudden threat at her abdomen, where Godefroy's sword lightly poked her stomach, not doing any damage but indicating that the duel was once again a victory for the old man.

"Now if you can't defend yourself…then you are a likely candidate for death yes?" He smiled while he pulled away; removing the probing and wanting steel from the exterior of her clothing and letting the girl take a few defeated steps away.

With a red, embarrassed and flustered expression Astrid scraped the spear tip along the ground and took the a few deep breaths, easing the surging energy in her blood from coming so close to having skin broken. A cloud overhead blocked out the sun a moment, cooling her tension as Godefroy lowered his sword to the side but did not stab it into the ground.

"How did-how did you get that strike in on me? I had you right where I wanted." Astrid hated how the knight never seemed particularly worried or tired after a spar. He either did not know his age, did not understand the repercussions of getting stabbed in the face, or both.

"Ha! _Facile ma cheri!_ You attack well, that is not disputed. But your swings and lunges are driven by anger and strength, not by thought and skill. So long as you fight like that against a person who is using proper technique and is thinking about every move he makes…you will not have victory."

Astrid felt that she should be insulted by the remark and stared at the ground, contemplating some kind of possible come-back against the lecturing knight. She had been considered the best among her peers and even the elders of Berk had respected her. She had found ways to defeat several of them in the year leading up to when she left. Yet this man who should have been an easy target by age alone bested her at every turn. She wanted to complain but knew herself above it, even if whining felt the only thing left to do now that her very identity of a warrior was being shown up by an old man. Instead she allowed Godefroy to continue, holding both tongue and hand against this new teacher.

"I must ask…why do you fight with such anger?"

"…I-I…because it's powerful?"

Godefroy rolled his eyes, as if hearing a false answer to an obvious question. "Powerful yes…useful no. Your anger, your aggression will get you nowhere against an opponent who is calm and collected. The blade led by emotion cuts deeper, but not as often. You still swing as if fighting a dragon…but unless through a sorcerer's magic men do not become dragons. A man is faster, smarter, and fights back with more determination than any creature that we could know of. Even dragons cower when they know they are beaten, but men will fight until the steel is through their necks. The trick is trying to get it through their necks."

Astrid grumbled at the statement but felt herself being won over slowly. Every attack her father had ever shown her _was_ geared towards the annihilation of dragons, filled with as much energy and anger as one would feel in the midst of a raid. They were designed to smash skulls as hard as rocks, to puncture skin as tough as steel and to slice through bones akin to wooden beams. Fighting between the tribes of the archipelago was rare when all faced such a formidable, mutual enemy. When a raid for whatever reason occurred, all fought in the same style that she had been taught, without much disparity between combatants.

Now, being constantly shown up by a faster, tempered and-dare she say it- more artful style such as Godefroy's her entire method of fighting seemed…_ugly_. Every swing of his, every lunge, every parry, every turning of his body to different angles was planned; an organization of moves committed to memory and utilized in whatever pattern was necessary to win. She did whatever felt strong, whatever felt destined to crush the enemy. But when the enemy could never be caught, he was difficult to crush.

"This is what a knight does. He fights men as if they are men, not savage beasts. The taking of life-that of our fellow men of God especially-is a difficult and sinful thing to do. We must then make fighting not a thing of pain and death, but a duel of skill in such a thing. Combat is an art all of itself…and it is through keeping it an art that we create less blood, less pain, and so let man fight without sin. It is the way of the world to do this, God has willed such a thing."

Astrid pulled her axe back up and held it at the center with one hand, running the other through her bangs again as the cloud continued on in the sky and the sun once more beat down upon her. The knight smiled at seeing her begin to prepare for another round.

"With that said…let us try again. And _please_ focus on the spear head again, you are making progress and God knows I don't want you to lose that." Godefroy brought his sword back up to a fighting position and walked back towards the center of the square. Astrid walked to the proper sparring position and raised her axe so as to lunge forward with the spear point. _"De nouveau!"_

"Montjoie!" Astrid did not know what this French cry meant, but found it appropriate to start off an attack with nonetheless. Taking care this time, she swung down with the axe which Godefroy evaded, but immediately switched her grasp to focus on the knob, thrusting it forward at the knight and causing him to continue stumbling back a few paces before he could catch himself. Without losing her pace Astrid brought the axe up and around her head and swung it forwards as she came at Godefroy again.

"Not bad, well thought out! The knight made to swing his sword between the spear tip and the axe blade and to catch the shaft there. Countering, Astrid pulled back her swing and jabbed forward with the spear point. While the knight could deflect it with a downward swipe of his sword it left him as a vulnerable position that Astrid took to her advantage. She removed her axe from the deflection and drove her body inward, throwing herself against Godefroy's side, pushing him out of coordination again. She swung her axe to behind her shoulder and sliced forward to hunt the still close knight.

Sensing that she was coming in too close Astrid went to stop her swing. In a brief moment time had stopped as her heart pumped quickly before giving way to a halting panic. The axe head had come to within a finger's distance of Godefroy's helmet, the spear tip extending to just beyond his skull. His sword was still at his side, not given the chance to retaliate and in no position to harm Astrid if given the chance. Both man and girl breathed heavily as they came to realize what had happened and began to pull away.

"Impressive…now where has that been all week?" Godefroy removed his helmet for a moment with his sword planted in the ground, removing sweat that had accumulated in his hair and was now running down his face.

Astrid started to grin after fully realizing that the man had conceded his own defeat to her. Her breathing was returning to normal, her knuckles no longer cold with the strain of combat and her face no longer burning with excitement. She gave a sigh of relief at seeing Godefroy looking her down with appreciation and respect.

"Let's say that I'm taking a more artistic approach to things."

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

Back on Berk, Hiccup enjoyed making maps. When he was spared the agonies of rejection and physical abuse it was a way to let his creative side out and to be himself, to draw and create something all his own. While he would always consider the ability to work with metal as his best skill, he considered himself capable enough with charcoal and stylus that he could take pride in what he made.

In France, he was coming to learn that being _forced_ to do something you enjoy is no better than doing something you don't.

He had at first panicked when he had seen Sabastien's maps. The villagers and the baker were not exaggerating when they remarked on the quality of the man's works. Many were extensive and intricately detailed to the finest degree. Whereas the maps Hiccup was so used to working with were simple-used for the sake of navigation and the marking on certain geographic areas, these truly were pieces of art. Whereas he used to work with leather hides, many of these maps were instead printed on paper-something that even his father could rarely afford. More colors than Hiccup could ever remember seeing in any parchment adorned every single sheet that covered a wide range of geographic areas. He could at least read some of the maps which were still in Norse, and by comparing them to other maps in French could figure out how to identify certain places for when making later maps-for now sticking to the simpler and smaller ones that required less than superhuman effort to replicate.

He had simply been dumbfounded when he had first seen the largest maps, which covered land masses he had not even been wholly aware of despite what he considered a fairly decent understanding of geography. They were maps that outlined the whole of the Frankish kingdom and the neighboring lands, those of Angles and Goths and Saxons and Lombards that seemed to encircle France. They extended eastward to the vast plains Toothless had sometimes described, where there were pictures of horses and names such as "Polack" and "Tartar".

In the South, the world seemed to open up to vast sea for a while before reverting back to land, ruled by peoples who apparently called themselves "Infidel" and who controlled a terrifying amount of land, even if it was marked out as filled with nothing but sand and arid plains. Hiccup wondered what such places could be like, if many people could survive there. Could any manner of civilization actually exist in a place where there was nothing but sand?

To the North, Britain and Ireland were well detailed with rolling plains of green, and where the first markings of dragon and sea serpents could be found. It worked its way into the world of the Vikings, painted in red and white. Even Hiccup knew that snow and blood were the two defining factors of life in his latitude of birth. Even his homeland in the archipelago could be seen in some of the larger maps, rendered but a small collection of islands where his own was not even named. All that could be seen were dragons in the area. Mankind was inconsequential in his own home, death and destruction was the only characteristic to the outsider observing the land of his birth. It made him all the more certain that he had been right to flee, and when he had told Astrid of these revelations she seemed as humbled as he, agreeing to his sentiment with a passionate kiss.

He shook his head and dispersed day dreams in his mind, trying to focus on his work. He had been tracing the outline of Brittany, finding that the villagers were especially seeking to have maps to sell of the neighboring lands and the domain of the Duke and King especially. While he had learned that the Bretons were still beyond the hold of the King, it was nonetheless helpful to know the area for many, and he complied with the request. He was going off of a design of Sabastien, which seemed to have had access to some power of flight that Hiccup thought himself exclusive to, considering how precise the coasts were. Even large sets of hills were demarked and castles were illustrated with steady, small and carefully drawn strokes that only added to the detail.

The inside of the small work cabin got exceptionally hot in the afternoons when the sun struck at it relentlessly. While the outside burned, the air of the interior grew warm and numbing, difficult to work in and stifling to the creative hand. His fingers gripped the stylus dripping with black dye, trying to outline the space where Brittany linked to the Western reaches of Normandy. But the heat was intense, prohibitive to anything but the most simple, primitive thoughts and actions. His legs felt stifled and uncomfortable, his groin scratching and his hand trembling in irritation. His fingers ached with sweat and his grip on the stylus was slipping and agonizing. His body begged him to stop, to not push himself in these horrid conditions. His fingers did not want to work, but to relax and play.

"Godsdamnit!" He threw down the stylus and got up from his stool, pacing frantically around the small work station. He ran a hand through his hair, an increasingly thick mop that made his head hot as sweat collected at the top of his forehead, his nose slick with sweat and oil. Every part of his body yearned to leave this torturous cell of heat, but at the same time another part wanted him to stay. This kind of temperature, this small and intimate setting of seclusion and tension made his mind wander, made his fixation fall away from maps and to a more pressing concern that was making itself more pronounced the more he thought about it. He was alone, with nobody else's troubles but his own to focus on. In this instant of seclusion, who was he to maintain any manner of strict discipline upon himself?

There was something about Astrid these last few days that was driving him wild but he couldn't tell what. Maybe it was the way she sucked on his lips when they kissed, the way that she held onto his back when they stayed that way for a while-perhaps finally having her physical body so close to his in warm and beautiful weather at last was making this urge all the more powerful. Not that it had not been present during the winter, but the natural heat of Spring that surrounded him was stripping away his sense of control, whatever paranoid fears he had of being caught were vanishing with each bead of sweat that he knew demanded alleviation. Images of her danced in his head, of a girl increasingly devoid of clothing and as frustratingly hot as he. She pulled away garments with lustful, yearning eyes that hypnotized him from within. How could he deny her even if she were not here, to refrain from indulging in her love without her?

_Maybe…no nobody would be coming around right now…church bells are going on…they'd all be busy._

The more he thought about it the more he was realizing just how long he had gone without this blessing. Not since he had left Berk had he had a chance to do this, and even then the weeks leading up to it had been too busy and exciting to find the appropriate time and space. So long spent in Astrid's company had left him without the space to perform this most beloved ritual of adolescence, being too paranoid to ever do so when she was out-he figured with his luck she would fly in right when he was in the middle of things. Now he was secluded, trapped in a cell of heat that had much simpler and direct ways to be relieved-but none quite so pleasurable.

He went for the door and sealed the lock on it. He was secure in here, free to do only what his heart and other areas of his body desired. Within this small room there was a mostly empty space at the right corner, one where he stumbled towards and sat down, legs outstretched and far apart. This need was growing aggressive, expanding even without his assistance.

"Come on….come on just…"

He knew it was pointless to fight it at this point. Once this action was thought about its performance was inevitable, it satisfied itself with its own contemplation. He felt himself through his pants, further stimulation to this growing need that was inescapable. Once he had learned of this practice it had grown into a solemn rite all his own, one small crutch to sustain him in times of despair. He could feel his knees bending at the growing sensation, blood swelling within his thighs and every part of his body from his pelvis to his toes straining under the weight of clothing and the pain of longing.

Like so many pleasantries that plagued him he could blame this squarely on Astrid as well. He still remembered the first time this had happened, shortly after his thirteenth birthday. He had seen her eating at the Great Hall, alone and he suspected sad because of it. Suspecting that his new, teenage amount of years gave him some more stature in her eyes, he had approached her with confidence, asking her simply if she had wanted to spend the night at his house and have dinner with him and his father. Instead he had received some scolding hot soup on his crotch, not damaging but nonetheless painful. His father had enough mercy to bring him some of Gothi's healing crème for it. On the second day of application he had been rubbing it in when his mind began to turn towards Astrid. One thing had led to another, and the thought of her being the one to apply that crème on him and the sensation of his own touch had conspired into a momentous event he had not been expecting or prepared for.

Since then he had slowly learned the truth of what he was doing, and discovered a new world of himself where exploration always rendered some new territory or unseen dimension to him that he never knew was there. Even the memory of past efforts was arousing; the thoughts of other times when he had felt such bodily joy were a comfort in their own right. Of summer afternoons far on the other side of the island, beneath the shade of an oak as he spilled his own seed on the ground in powerful convulsions. Of dark winter nights beneath his blanket, whispering her name into the darkness as his legs lost their capacity to move in the aftermath of rapturous ecstasy.

"Oh gods yes…"

He sighed with a trembling voice. He couldn't take a chaste touch to relieve himself, and a thumb slipped below his waist and pulled at his trousers, drawing them down and revealing the cause of his joyous distress. His left hand reached up to grasp it, cold and nervous digits clinging to the hot length and making him shiver at the contrast. He began to pull down, dragging his foreskin away and revealing the magenta tip that throbbed with excited blood that he could feel pumping in and out quickly, his heart beating frantically as the campaign of bodily domination began.

His grip was loose at first, the way he liked to begin. He knew by the end that his hold would be hard and possessive, so best to start off gently. His breathing became scattered, taking in deep gasps as he pulls down and softly moaning as he goes up. The sweat around his thighs dissipates with their exposure to air, he feels dry and comfortable but no less aroused. He takes a hard swallow, eyes closing and losing himself in the heat of body and world. Block shaped windows let in shafts of light, dust floats harmlessly in the air. The world outside is alive and changing, within this cell time stops for one boy's desire.

Something cool comes from the tip, and knows that all is working along the way it should. He opens his eyes for a moment while in the trance of rhythm and looks around. There is a discarded piece of paper-an attempt at Brittany- that he reaches for. He tears away a large piece and finds the texture just soft enough for his purposes. He wraps it around the top with his right hand, his left maintaining the pushing and pulling he needs for his release.

"Ah…Astrid…"

His whispers-painful moans of longing- slip from beyond his lips and into the hot air, his eyes again closed as he leans against the wall. He'd been sleeping next to her for so long now; it only made the coming release all the more exciting. She was ever more charming, ever more beautiful when she was with him, friendly, helpful, a companion more than merely a set of desired physical features. Still, in this darkness of desire into which he secluded himself those features were nonetheless desirable.

He imagined the room in his mind, where all was possible and much was wanted. She came to him in a bare form, all that he thought her to be beneath fabric and refusal. A body that was free and wanting, but not yet given. She crawled to him on her hands and knees, sun-lit hair down and parted at her sides as she approached. Luscious skin glowed, without a scratch and but a mere cover to the tight, well toned muscle that lay beneath.

"Astrid…"

"Hiccup…what do you wish of me?" Her voice was low, sensuous and alluring as she came towards his legs with possessive eyes, the color of the ocean when it wishes to take sailors down to its depths, to make them her own and to possess with greed. Hiccup had no problem with being possessed. "You want me to touch you?"

Her arm reached out, thin but strong feminine digits slithering their way through the space between them. She starts at his inner thigh and works her way up towards his shaft, grinning with as much desire as he. She slides her fingers over it, the thought making his legs contract again in jubilation as his body continues to work towards the final pleasure that he seeks.

"Yes Astrid…yes Astrid please touch me." He whispers to her. His hand became her own, gliding up and down his sex and tightening as he feels the first inklings of joy emerging within his lower abdomen and along his inner thighs. He groans at the very thought of her touch, growling as she moves faster and along his entire length from the tip to the base. He is surrounded by heat, but with his clothing covering less of his body and with hard pants of satisfaction he can feel himself being cooled, finding more than one kind of happiness by losing himself in the moment.

"Mmh…oh you like that Hiccup?"

"Yes Astrid…oh-oh yes I like it." Her grip stayed the same, but her body rose. She was on her knees, hair falling towards her breasts and barely reaching her nipples like a poorly made disguise-not that he wanted it to do the task well. She still pulled but began to lean forwards, tantalizing eyes drawing his attention to where she moved.

"Oh good…how about this?" Her hand pulled away while Hiccup's own stayed, but changed into her lips as they drew in towards his tip, enveloping the top and moving down. His legs tightened, his breathing caught in an excited gasp as he thought about that face so close, so intimate so as to touch him in such a way. He imagined the moisture, the sensation of her fully enveloping him and taking him in. Of her tongue running up and down and every which way across his shaft and every surface it touched tingling with joy. She sucked gently, with passion and zeal. Hiccup tried to control himself but found it hard to stay disciplined when contemplating those lips slipping up and down his shaft, her hand holding onto him as she kissed the tip and licked the underside, so much sensation not experienced yet perceived.

"Astrid…oh gods yes. Yes!" He was struggling to stay quiet, his cries of ecstasy muffled into groans and growls as he saw her head bobbing up and down around him, doing all that she could to relieve him as her mouth slowly dragged upwards towards the tip, pulling at his foreskin and demanding the release begin. Hiccup could feel it coming, racing towards his conclusion that could never wait long enough. "Oh…OH…Astrid!"

She pulled her lips and away and went back to her hand, gripping him tightly as Hiccup began to crumble amidst the pleasurable assault upon his senses. The grip grew fierce, possessive in her hold. "Yeah Hiccup…come on come on!"

"Oh Astrid…Astrid here it-"

"Yes Hiccup! Yes do it! Do it for me Hiccup! Come for me! Do it!"

His body convulsed, he could feel his eyes trying to flip around in their sockets as the first waves came forward, striking the paper held at the tip as the heat began to disperse, the tension fading away with each torrent. His legs felt relieved, the strain fading away amidst successive waves that pulsed outward, wasted in purpose but succeeding in their function of release. He lurched forward, mental function collapsing under torrents of gratification, breathing in scattered breaths, desperate for air but enjoying the scramble for life in this brief, strange instance of perfection from which he had no choice but to come down, to fall away from glory and back into reality.

Astrid fell away, drifting into the dust of accomplished fantasy as his eyes opened to nothing but an empty room, dust still hanging helplessly in the air as it constantly failed to reach the ground. The high descended and he with it, landing back in a reality where he was but an exhausted boy with a wet piece of paper around his penis, muscles twitching and legs weak. He let out a few last, tired moans as the orgasm reached its end, depositing him back in a world where he could no longer chase his body's high, where continued attempts would only be met by a sensitive tool and no capacity to reach his glory until later.

He tenderly removed the paper, being sure to grip tightly and remove as much of the residue as he could. He tossed it into the pile with the other discarded attempts at maps. They were all useless things, and he would throw them out now-especially knowing that this special piece was in that pile. He sat for a moment in the quiet, warm embrace of the cell, trying to regain his strength. Birds could be heard outside but otherwise he was alone, heart calming down and now attuned once again to the painful vortex of heat that enveloped him. Still, with the nagging release found and with the air between his legs having cooled him off, life seemed more livable, more tolerable.

Perhaps now he could sleep next Astrid more comfortably, without so much excitement. For a few days at least he figured. Now that he had finally found manual stimulation after so many months of absence, he was sure the demand from within himself was only going to grow and instances like this only more common. Perhaps he would find more time, more chances to escape in the coming weeks as he continued to be locked up in this intolerable cell. He _could_ take his work home and utilize the work bench there…but paranoia of Astrid returning home from her training squashed that thought quickly. He had this place at least, a small, sweltering building where he could master his skills of both pen and body.

He pushed himself up, taking a moment to steady himself on resistant legs and pulling up his trousers, finding a cool sensation where the last of his seed made contact with his undergarments. He pressed a hand against the wall and used it to drag himself forward, back to his stool and table where Brittany was still waiting to be drawn. His head felt clear, his body rested and willingness to work restored. He regained his strength and walked back over to the stool, where the stylus awaited for him to resume. He sat himself down and leaned over the map, picking up where he left off. His fun break was done, back to work.

But he knew another break was coming soon.

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

**Hello Peoples!**

**Yeah, this chapter is a little shorter than usual, but more so because I wanted to save a few scene for next chapter where I didn't want to break them up. Spring is a time of renewal and revelation, and it appears both the Rus and our couple are learning this truth in one way or another. Some good Hiccstrid coming next chapter, so hope this last scene whets your appetite for what's to come.^^**

**A big thank you as always to my fantastic Beta "Writer for the Tylwyth Teg" for her work and appreciation of this chapter. She is currently doing some edits on her great story "My Little Phoenix" if you wish to check that out after this chapter. A great story that I recommend for plenty of Hiccstrid feels. Also a second thank you to reader "La p'tite Lili" who pointed out some mistakes in my horrible French in recent chapters which will be amended shortly. I don't mind if you want to point out mistakes, so if you see them let me have it!**

**As always reviews/favorites etc. are always appreciated in keeping this story going and are deeply considered as I continue forward. Hopefully next chapter will be up around this same time next week and I hope you're looking forward to it, because I certainly am! I'll see you then.**

**-Mc.**


	18. Love Walks In

_Contact is all it takes _  
_ To change your life to lose your place in time _  
_ Contact! Asleep or awake _  
_ Coming around you may wake up to find _  
_ Questions deep within your eyes, _  
_ Things you've never realized _

_ So when you sense a change _  
_ Nothing feels the same _  
_ All your dreams are strange, love comes walkin' in _

_Love Walks In-Van Halen_

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

Axe and sword collided in midair, each combatant trying to force all their might into the blow to weaken the other. Astrid swept her weapon down and went to step on the sword, before remembering the code of honor that has been vigorously drilled into her the past few weeks and decides against it. Instead she drives forward, smashing the foot of the axe into Godefroy's abdomen before turning over the head and coming towards him with the head. She lands it perfectly near the nape of his neck, stalling only a tiny distance away as the knight's sword is still pointed towards the ground, once more cast aside and defeated.

"What's that…four in a row now?" Astrid pants, her throat dry and lungs taking in deep, wanting breaths. Her skin is slick, her grip on the yew handle slipping and forcing her to withdraw it.

"Three…we are still calling the one where sand got in my eye a draw." Godefroy is more desperate for air than Astrid, taking faster and more concerned breaths. He has shed his armor for the day, with only a helmet and mail shirt to protect him-still more than Astrid cared to wield, for she believed it would slow her down.

The sun is at its apex and burning brightly, unimpeded by clouds and merciless on all those who stand beneath it. Astrid had never known that it could get this hot; the beautiful weather that they had encountered here more than a month ago was the warmest it ever got on Berk. This climate was proving increasingly testing to her nerves and skin, which even though it had started to develop a light tan after so much time outdoors was in no ways meant to deal with such conditions. She disliked how parts of her arms were a light brown, while her classic pale covered the other areas not so directly exposed to sunlight. On the one hand she thought the color neat, at the same time she wanted a consistent hue, whether her own or that which the sun bestowed upon her.

"Fine, but just because I know you'll complain if I don't."

Her body ached from more than one cause. A headache persisted from squinting in the sunlight and to better see oncoming attacks from the aged knight. She felt a great soreness in her left shoulder from an overextended axe swing. Her lips were plump and dry, throat yearning for hydration but finding persistent swallowing was doing nothing to alleviate it. Her body was covered in sweat by the very action of being outdoors; even more so by the act of sparring in direct sunlight that seemed bent to make her life miserable.

Even in her core there was another discomfort, one not of pain but of a longing that had been with her since she'd woken up from uncomfortable dreams this morning. Some person-she refused to give it a name- with auburn hair and sparkling green eyes had visited her by a stream on a cool spring day, where the air was still and comfortable, where nature was not alive but a tableau, a painting on which the action had occurred. Strong but hesitant hands had run up and down her body at first, caressing every inch of her as he buried his head into her neck, kissing and biting with total adoration. Her clothes came to be removed, slowly pulled away as the worship continued down her entire body, where familiar fingers foreign to one specific area had begun performing an exotic dance upon her that began to stimulate a want that found refuge from persecution in the land of dreams. She'd woken up in the midst of union, when the thrusts were just getting deep enough and she could feel something drawing to an exciting conclusion before sun beams through the windows had drawn her back to the cruel world of reality. It had been a day dominated by the sun which was subjecting her to all kinds of misery; she would be content if she never stepped outside the rest of her life after today.

"Astrid?"

She snapped to attention, thoughts drifting back once more to the last traces of that dream that still danced in her memory, demanding their own contemplation and the finishing of what had been started. Godefroy looked at her inquisitively, seeing that something had drawn her attention away from reality and to someplace nicer, cooler and where an attractive boy waited to do things to her. "Huh? Sorry Sir Godefroy I sort of…wasn't paying attention for a moment."

"Yes, I can see that." The knight laughed, seeing no harm into her brief lapse of foggy, joyous memory. "Sun getting to you? It is for me. I think we have earned a break yes? Inside of house is cool; I have some cheese and light ale for lunch."

There were many words that Astrid had heard in her lifetime, but few sounded quite as sweet as those. She stabbed her axe into the ground with the spear tip and cracked her knuckles, doused in a layer of sweat and oil that she knew would need to be washed off by the time the day was done. She broke out into a weary smile and stepped forward, a silent cue for the knight to leave his sword against the wall and take the lead towards his house where shade and fluid awaited.

Stepping inside had always been a welcome occurrence on the few times that Astrid had needed to do so-today being the first day that the knight had invited her inside for anything more than to show her a piece of armor or some treasure from his collection of battle trophies. On previous hotter days she had been sent home early, but she did not mind a respite here in this hall of a noble man that held his accumulated years of glory and humiliation, held back in the shroud of cool grey which the hall was colored, only two high windows letting in any light that struck at opposite walls in diagonal beams.

"Bear with me a moment, was having-having a good time last night with the cask of ale I received from Eudes and forgot to refill the sheep skins, will return with them and the cheese shortly."

"That's fine, I'm just happy to be inside." She muttered as the knight retired to another room, assorted bangs and the shuffling of objects entertaining her as she heard a few words she was coming to understand as French swears rise up in short, well toned bursts.

There was a single table with two chairs on either side. Astrid went to pull one aside to sit but refrained a moment. There were two plates on opposite ends of the table, knife and spoon crossed in the middle. While she could understand the knight having one for him to eat with, the closer one confused her. It was covered in dust accumulated for a long time, the silver unpolished the entire setting looking untouched for years. She could infer from this that it wasn't set out for her, but the superfluous table setting nonetheless strange for a single man.

She looked to both beams of sunlight that crisscrossed the house in an X that seemed sent from the gods themselves, majestic golden shafts that allowed only a modest amount of the sun inside, enough to light but not to warm. One of the beams was gradually descending as the sun moved across the sky, and currently pointed to a table at the side of the hall that drew Astrid's attention. Hearing more exotic swears and a loud clattering of a platter, she went to investigate.

Standing upon a single large book was a marble carving, well polished and meticulously free of all manner of dust or notable wear. It was a human figure, feminine by the subtle but astutely crafted bulges at her upper chest. Her face was frozen in the splendor of mature youth, a complexion that seemed _just_ about to begin showing signs of age but that had been preserved in the finest instance of feminine beauty. Her arms were crossed, one tucked into her side and the other raised between her breasts, small digits gently caressing her chin, drawing attention to the eyes above that were innocent in appearance but that belied more intimate desires to whoever she looked upon. Her body was covered in the ruffles and draped cloths of elegant dress, her hair held back from a full blossoming by a thin fillet that was worn with as much distinction as a crown of kings.

The figure's eyes look onto the dust covered plate, the beam of gold from the window slowly moving down to irradiate her face, on which Astrid noticed were two very small gems, sapphires that were set within the marble by some manner of remarkable adhesive. It was certainly a well crafted figure and one whose owner took great pride and care in its maintenance.

"Impressive yes?" Godefroy came from the back room with two skins that were full and heavy with light ale. He sat one down on the table and handed the other one over to Astrid, who took it by the nozzle and took in a gulp, finding it of at least an edible quality and appreciating having some fluid down her throat again. Her skin was beginning to cool in the relative darkness of the house, the sweat dissipating and leaving only an irritating urge to scratch across her skin. The most uncomfortable urge at her groin was still annoying her now that it was in a situation and temperature more conducive to the action it craved. She stifled such desires again as she tried to gain her composure through hydration and conversation.

"Yes it is. The Holy Virgin right?"

Godefroy's eyes drew back in his head a moment as though some great heresy had been performed before his expression loosened and he began to chuckle at the confusion. "No Astrid…although it would be quite pious of me to have one I shall admit. Sadly not all are as devout as they could be, myself included."

"Oh, well it was just a guess. I've…met a priest before who had a statue of a woman, thought it might be the same one."

Godefroy went to take his skin from the table as he chuckled, muttering something beneath his breath in French, featuring a few words she had learned so that Astrid could piece together a sentence roughly equivalent to "Heathen at least knows something, room in Heaven?" He returned with a smile that appeared to be half of amusement but the other nostalgic, reveling in memories unknown to Astrid.

"A fair guess I assume, but nonetheless incorrect. No this is…I had this made by an artisan in Paris many years ago, have had it with me wherever I have lived ever since." His tone grew tired; reminiscent of better times but ones that ended only in misery. Astrid kept quiet and pleaded with her eyes for an explanation.

"It is…it is of my one and only love, the beautiful lady Aalis of Caen. When I was a younger man in better health and appearance I had met her in my period of wandering that all young knights must embark on to fully attain their titles. When we had met I-I knew at that moment that I had never felt such things for any person, and our company for a brief time made me convinced that I wanted her as my wife. It was love, the kind the poets sing of and that so many are scorned in trying to find. But she and I? We knew what we had and wanted to keep it."

Astrid took a few steps away and went towards the table, leaning up against it as Godefroy stood at his side between her and the statue. There was some kind of joy playing around within the knight's soul, a delicate flame tempered for years was alit with a passionate remembrance that genuinely impressed Astrid-not even her father had displayed such feelings when thinking about her mother, as much as she knew he still loved her.

"For several years we were in the manner of courtship as is requested of knights-one where we may love with the soul but not the flesh. We knew we were meant to be, she had the disarming charm and companionship I wanted in my isolated-militant-life. She adored me for my civility and adherence to the code that my kind are _supposed_ to follow-the moral failings of my brothers in arms was to my advantage in this realm. On my returns to her area we would spend what little time we had in each other's company, admiring and lavishing the other with praise and adoration. We were young and in love, of equal age and station. It was only by the will of her family-who were in a constant negotiation with another family to marry her off for stronger relations with the Duke-that we remained separate, making our brief instances together all the more painful in that they were always followed by longer bouts of distance."

The knight's references to the past kept Astrid's attention as the story worked its way towards the conclusion. She remained quiet, feeling that it would be almost immoral to break the uneasy silence that pervaded in the hall in the distances between Godefroy's words.

"When I was of twenty six years I was called upon by the Duke to assist in putting down an incursion by Flemish mercenaries that had been financed by a traitorous viscount. I left Caen with a kiss from her on my lips and a cloth of hers next to my heart, swearing I would return. I endured several battles and killed many men for an entire year, even coming close to killing the viscount myself before a peasant's crossbow stole the honor from me. All this time I had fought with great valor and risk to my person, wearing that cloth under my armor and holding it in my hands as I fell asleep each night. I returned to Caen when I was just turning twenty eight, rushing to the castle where I expected to race through the gates and even march my horse into her bedroom if need be…"

He trailed off a moment, taking a deep sigh that did not dissipate well in the silence. The shaft of light from the window descended lower, the tips of the square beginning to shine on the statue, illuminating the sapphires and making them shine with a carefully polished brilliance.

"Did she…had she been married off?" Astrid dared a question, finding that the knight was taking his time, keeping himself stoic in the face of his own knowledge. He gave forward a few stutters and grunts before continuing.

"No she…I found the castle draped in black for a sickness had taken her a week before I had arrived. I was given several accolades by the Duke while there, but the entire time I felt…dead. I wished I was dead with her or at least in her place and-and the entire month after I arrived was nothing but a haze of despair. Afterwards I had traveled to Paris where I found that sculptor. I had told him of my sadness and the man took pity on me. Going by my physical descriptions alone he was able to craft such a beautiful replica. Her spirit must have been with him to guide his hand, it really is so exquisite." His gaze shifted back to the statue; face fully covered with light and emeralds shimmering with unimpeded brilliance. She felt cool but no less uncomfortable, both in her skin and in her heart.

"So-so you keep the statue so that she's always there…that's nice." She wasn't sure what to say, having never quite encountered a situation as heartbreaking as this one. She felt she should say something to try and console, but knew nothing of what should be said at moments like this. She wanted to reach out and soothe the heart of a pained warrior, but at the same time such things were not what she had been taught to do. To see a man of arms weep seemed odd, out of character to her perceptions of the martial personality. The knight was quiet for a moment longer, a smile returning to his face as he looked back over to Astrid, taking another sip of his ale before speaking.

"This is…that is why you make me very happy Astrid. To see two young lovers running away to make their life together, it brings happiness to this aging man's heart. To know that some people may find that feeling where I have lost it to time and disease. I wish the best for you and Hiccup, I really do."

Astrid felt her throat tighten a moment. She went for her ale and took a long drink, taking deep breaths in between gulps and with a sudden burst of nervous energy rising from her chest. Godefroy and subsequently the entire village had been acting on this lie that they were run away lovers from England. Not that they weren't runaways from somewhere-despite the fact she'd been kidnapped at first. And it wasn't as though they didn't like each other, but the thought of the emotions she saw pouring out of the knight in his testimony scared her. They were big, grandiose ideals that were always talked about but never seen. They were emotions that you were supposed to strive for but never attain, to fall short of perfection and settle for what you had. What Godefroy described, what he thought she had with Hiccup didn't make sense, it made her uncomfortable to even think about it-regardless of whether or not it was true.

"Um-I-um…thank you Sir Godefroy. That uh…yes Hiccup and I we-we're in love. It's the truest kind you know? Just…_love him_ so much."

"Ha! Ah I know dear it can be awkward to say so to other people, I actually blushed the first few times I told other knights of my feelings to lady Aalis, but you shall get used to it I hope. After all, wouldn't want to have that feeling inside and not shout it out loud at least once in your life would you?

Astrid felt her legs growing weak as she used more mental capacity than she wanted to disregard the basic question of love from her mind, to focus on lying and only that.

"After all...love is a beautiful thing that should be embraced whenever it truly rears itself." He stepped forward, face in the shaft of light that illuminated a defeated soul and hopeful face. He placed a hand on her shoulder, as a father to a son before sending him off into the cruel, heartless world. "Never let love pass you by Astrid, don't miss your chance!" His voice was excited; brimming with hope for others where he knew none existed for himself. Astrid felt her moth quiver, trembling like the rest of her body as her own lie was forced upon her.

"I-I…I won't Sir Godefroy. I…I won't love pass me by. Ever."

"_Bon._" Godefroy drew away, satisfied with both himself and his pupil as he went back towards the separate room from which he'd drawn the ale. "Silly me I forgot the cheese. I'll be back with it and we'll take a nice break for a while and then head out for a few more rounds how about that?"

Astrid gave a few weak nods as the knight went back out of sight, swearing more under his breath as the clatters and awkward footsteps resumed. Astrid stared back at the marble statue, to the sapphires that glimmered in the sun with innocence and spoke to a noble, high minded ideal that clung to Astrid's ears and refused to go away, that bored into her mind and were adamant in their demand to be contemplated whether she liked it or not. Marble curves demanded she think, that she embrace uncomfortable dreams and give into the pointless pursuit of perfection. She whispered in short, stammering gasps beneath her breath, hand going for the ale skin for which she suddenly couldn't get enough.

"Love…never pass you by…won't…ever…love…"

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

_Love makes you weak…opens you up to nothing but pain all for the sake of brief, fleeting pleasure._

Astrid's breathing is slow and depressed, eyes without much life or energy and which stared ahead into the wall of her and Hiccup's house. Ghosts in her mind lectured in front of her, mental perception shifting within to earlier times back on Berk when childhood had fallen away into early adolescence.

_Sure it may feel good, you think that it is the best thing that will ever happen to you…but it only leads to pain._

She sees herself not in the lower chamber of the house, but back in her childhood home on a cool fall day. It was but one episode of many like it that she had dealt with in those early years of pubescence and formal training. Her father paces back and forth, collected and confident in his lecture.

_To survive in a world of constant battle you cannot have love, cannot have mercy, cannot have sympathy for any others but yourself and people like you. If you do, if you abandon this way and give into love…battle will take it away. You can survive in battle, you can survive in love, you cannot do both and expect to be happy._

The sun is only in the beginnings of its descent towards the horizon, the house slowly darkening with the hours. The outside has gradually begun to cool as darkness begins its envelopment of the world. Two candles give added illumination to the room as the sun beams from the window slowly fade away.

_After all, what use does any warrior have for love if either the warrior or the one the warrior loves is taken from the world? It leads to only pain for all. Thus to avoid pain, avoid love._

Though she is much cooler than she had been earlier in the day, the persistent, nagging want in Astrid's legs and abdomen refuses to go away. It drags her mind away from one scenario to another. Her father lectures her with an embarrassed, angry scowl on one fateful winter night.

_If you ever do that to yourself again I'll have Gothi remove it, she knows how to you know!_

How was she supposed to have known that such a thing would have happened? Her father had never discussed it with her, had never made his thoughts on the action clear one way or the other. She'd heard some hearsay and the occasional, confusing joke from the elder women but had never truly understood what they were talking about. She'd never even had the feeling up until that point, but had found that it had started to grow constant and demanding in the time before her recent bleedings. It was agonizing in how this want could suddenly overpower her entire sense of reason and discipline, and she wanted some way to relieve it. She'd found it, but sadly for her, the father had found her too.

_I mean…once you start that it is very hard to stop. Before you know it you'll be looking for some boy to do it for you…and then what? You want one to take you? Do nothing to you but that and never let you be the warrior you were born to be?_

She never knew her own fingers could do such things, that such areas were so sensitive-one strange, circular region in particular. She'd first panicked when she'd entered with her fingers, fearing she'd done something truly dangerous to herself. Instead-while she was met with some discomfort at first-she found only relief from her want, and continued on in this first exploration of the strange, foreign world that was herself. It was difficult at first to find what was comfortable, but slowly she discovered that penetration, combined with careful stimulation of that strangely placed circle brought forth feelings, thoughts, desires she never knew were thinkable. It was startling, that she held this power all her own-that she might have in fact discovered something with which to occupy dark nights now that these urges had arisen.

Then she'd started to moan, finding places and positions that stirred sensations too powerful to keep quiet. Low, sloppy utterances rose from the back of her throat as her body loosened, as she fully gave herself to this stimulation and embraced it with hope that the urge would go away. In one brief instant she had moved the wrong way, bringing a sudden and loud gasp out from her that immediately drew her father's attention. She remembered as her face burned with embarrassment and fear when he opened the door, his face aghast at the position in which he'd found her.

_Feelings like that will only lead to pain in the end, so you've just got to ignore them and focus on what really matters…which ISN'T doing such abhorrent things to yourself!_

"Shut up dad…" She whispered towards an empty wall where a phantom refused to hear her. For so long she had heard these commandments, had tried her best to uphold them and follow in her father's example. But the call for her fingers to descend below her waistline again; to relive that one brief instant of joy she'd experienced all those years ago simply couldn't be ignored any longer.

_You're better than these things…they aren't necessary!_

Her hands felt cold at the thought of defying a man who now existed only in her head, but a warmth was beginning to spread between her legs. Blood began to surge, her heart racing with the excitement of defiance and expectations. Hiccup was on an evening flight with Toothless, wouldn't be home for a little while longer…perfect opportunity to finally try this again for the first time in years.

_You're not-_

"No dad. Go away." She calls into the void defiantly, dispersing his image and erasing his demands from her mind. She stood up from the chair for a moment and with one concise movement pulled down her skirt, sending the weighted and increasingly tight on her waist contraption to the floor. She stepped out of it and then sent her thumbs below the waistline of her pants. She paused a moment, taking a deep breath as she made the last action of defiance, her groin pleading to get on with things as she tried to clear her mind of unpleasant things and only focus on the memory of last night, to call it back and to resume a first time suspended between two different instances in time.

She pulls them down until they are below her ass but no farther. She takes a cold sit back on the chair, widening her legs as far the still on pants will allow. She leans her head back, braid falling over the rest of the chair as her right hands slithers down towards her sex. With an opening moan of relief as her fingers reach the area, she shifts her attention towards the nub at the top. Only a few light caresses is enough to start sending waves of pleasure through the body, each one drawing more and more happiness as her eyes rolled in their sockets, mind projecting light into her internal darkness and bringing her back to the stream of her dreams.

He approaches, with eyes that sparkle like vibrant leaves after a light summer storm. His hair waves in the breeze but never becomes disturbed or too out of place. He wears only pants, saddening Astrid in that she has to wait for what she wants. He's skinny but not emaciated, with a lanky build that she finds infinitely charming. He's so different from every other male she's ever stayed around, a refreshingly young body whose freckled face can always make her smile.

"Hello Astrid." His voice is a strong tenor but shows some nervous reservation as she gently motions circles around the pearl that is always ready to receive more blessed stimulation. She moans at just imagining his voice, loving the fact that all he currently does is observe her in this state of ecstasy. She can see something growing between his legs, and so as the stream flows past her in slow, docile waves she motions him forward.

"Hello H-Hi-" She stalls in her whisper to the air as he approaches. She never had expected this to happen, for him to be in her thoughts in this manner. As he kneels down beside her she reaches out for his face which smiles at the delicate fingers. He's been with her by this spot for weeks now, the same boy with the same name and same features that in this instant she wants more than anything. He claws his way closer to her as she lies down in the crisp grass, looking deep into her eyes with a desire she know he carries as strongly as she. Her hands break away from pleasuring herself and go for his pants, pulling free the drawstring and cupping her fingers around to his ass, gripping it tightly as she prepares to remove this obnoxious impediment to their union.

"Astrid…I'm ready, are you ready?"

She stops a swallow in her throat, the fantasy stalling as her fingers slip down towards her opening that is slick with fluid. Her fingers wait at the moment before entry, green eyes looking at her on the inside with anticipation and a longing to give her the pleasure she desires. She smiles, breaking the last law of a distant man that she can no longer uphold in a position such as this. She grabs one of his hands and makes it her own, lowering him to where she desires it most.

"Yes Hiccup…yes Hiccup I'm ready."

The first finger enters, slowly pushing its way inward as she adjusts to the new stimulus. She gives a low, droning purr as his finger recedes outward, pushing back in with the same amount of careful dexterity and caution as the fingers widen the point of entry, each push drawing more pleasure and more acceptance of the foreign object that slides in and out with steady movements. A second soon joins in, creating a larger spear with which to pierce into the heart of ecstasy.

"Mmhh…yes…" She has no reason to fear capture by an angry father now, nothing to inhibit her moans and sighs that she freely lets loose with each time the Hiccup in her head withdraws the fingers and thrusts them back in, growing a little stronger and exploratory each time as two hands-one real and the other immaterial- unite to draw out the first inklings of some new and powerful feeling from deep within her groin and legs.

"Hiccup…" She calls to the boy above her near a gently passing stream, whose length she tries to materialize in her mind. It was an elusive object, one she wasn't sure on how to manifest. She'd seen a few before on wash days or when some of the older village men got intoxicated beyond their means, but to actually visualize this one specific object of this one specific boy was now a tantalizing challenge. She'd felt it against her during the night, when it had throbbed with want when he was lost in the world of dreams. What did it actually look like? More importantly, what did it _feel_ like?

"Astrid…" He breathes out, his fingers deep inside her after a particularly adventurous thrust. He withdraws while Astrid's finger merely recede a short ways, seeing a pale rod before her as she lies on cool summer grass. He pulls back his skin, revealing the pink tip that she wants to drive in and out as her dreams commanded. "Astrid, do you know what I want?"

She reaches forward and grabs what she needs, pulling all of him forward with it. She steadies it around her opening, feeling the great ending fade away and demanding that it come back with the bait of this new sensation. "Yes Hiccup…and I want it too." With a simple request she draws him in, her own fingers acting as but a desperate imitation of this strange object that she has never seen but nonetheless wants. He pushes in, hovering over her as that mystery that Astrid envisions slides in. She may not have known what it would actually feel like, but in this isolated moment it feels spectacular, and the hints at ecstasy begin to return.

"Yes Hiccup…please… _more_." Hearing herself acting so submissive, so wanting for something she could not do herself shocked her ears as the cry went out into the room. Yet her cares wavered quickly, her fears of submission neutralized as she merely imagined Hiccup pushing into her again and again. It wasn't submission if she wanted it, if anything she considered herself as being aggressive for taking what she wanted, for subduing her great want by doing what was necessary. It didn't matter if what she was doing made her mewl and shiver with pleasure, she would willingly mewl and gasp in joyous excitement as much as she pleased.

He pushed on, her left hand became his own and joined in the dance towards growing pleasure as it reached for the nub at the top of her folds, her first caress drawing a sudden gasp at the sensitivity of this one small area before she settled in for further gentle touches and slides against this precious outlet to happiness. Both hands worked hard at their tasks, either her own digits or those of Hiccup reached out and touched her in different ways, all other things seeming irrelevant as she chased a coming conclusion that was still building within, warm and inviting as each touch and brush drew it on.

"Hiccup…oh…I…" Something began to rise in her head; a strange delirium that made her neck shift and her eyes demand to escape their confines was erupting throughout her entire body. Her core felt odd, her legs drawing inward as muscles across her midsection and thighs contracted and tightened as a new, indescribable Valhalla of physical pleasure swept through the whole of her body. She let the waves wash over her as an incoherent symphony of moans escaped her lips. She lurched forward, so overcome with this sudden sensation that it seemed the only thing left to do. Hiccup remained in her, frozen in the fantasy as her ability to contemplate such things collapsed. All cognitive function ceased, all higher thinking was pointless and impossible except for the knowledge that whatever had just happened, she needed more of it soon.

She could feel her fingers moist with her own juices, extracted and cooling as she rode out the pulses that pushed on, delivering to her a joy she had never known and which saddened her at feeling it dissipate and weaken with each passing moment as the contractions loosened and her legs no longer shook with indescribable bliss. Fantasy disappeared; Hiccup disappeared as she opened her eyes to reveal a once more empty room that was increasingly coming to rely on the light of candles. She gave heavy pants as the ecstasy left her, depositing the girl in a cold, darkening room with cool slick fingers. She waited a moment for her body to relax before even attempting to reach for her pants and cover back up this cool, exposed area. Her groin chilled as her fluids met the fabric, seeping in as the warm cloth covered up and gave support to an area drained and sensitive to further touch.

She rubbed the fluid on her fingers off against her pants, collapsing forward against the table as her legs felt incapable of anything more than half coherent movements-as though they were intoxicated while the rest of her merely rode out the final waves of joy. Her temperament relaxed to normal as her mind returned to the state where she could think clearly again.

_Really? Pathetic. Compromising your warrior self all because of some itch in your crotch? Truly…truly pathetic._

A ghost returned in her mind. The sweet boy who brought her ecstasy was replaced with a middle aged man with broad shoulders and black hair. He paced back and forth with an angry scowl, one of disgust and shame for the girl who sat in the chair with weak legs and a stare that fell from the stars to a dull, tired gaze that didn't want to face the phantom.

_And here I thought you were above that…I guess I was wrong._

Astrid's head fell against a raised arm, taking a staggered breath as the internal diatribe continued. She wanted to fight back, wanted to scream at the wall that what she had envisioned and the boy that thrust into her were the best thing that had ever happened to her. At the same time an emptiness was filling her core. She wanted to end it with another foray into self pleasure, but at the same time the emptiness demanded attention and contemplation, an exploration into this want of comfort and acceptance of pain that followed such a high.

_And for what?! It doesn't feel so good now does it? That's the feeling of betrayal! Betrayal to yourself, betrayal to who you are! Disgusting!_

"Shut up…" She whispered at the man, so much seeking to return to a world of green where a boy of equally colored eyes made her feel astounding things. Instead a man past his better years stares at her, ashamed and unwilling to hear any argument.

_Just because a boy acts all nice to you and says he wants to be your friend doesn't mean you can ever abandon who you are! To turn yourself into some stupid slut!_

"No!" Astrid banged a fist on the table, feeling a swelling starting at the back of her throat and face burning anew, not with pleasure but with a seething agony that rose up from her mind and began to permeate her body. She was taunting herself, suddenly filled with a hatred into which she had fallen from the recently mounted branch of paradise. A bitter taste grew on her tongue, her loins -briefly tender with rapturous glory-were now hot like the rest of her body that grew flustered with internal taunts and self hatred.

_Astrid Hofferson! My daughter! Getting ready to turn herself into some kind of whore for a weak, pathetic boy that she should have killed when you had the chance!_

Her teeth clenched firm, alight with internal anger but equally occupied with holding back sobs of confusion and pity that rose up from the bottom of her throat. The man's voice refused to go away, refused to waver in the face of her own desperate pleas to stop, to let her once more return to happiness and the hold of green, pleasing eyes.

_Pitiful…your mother would be ashamed._

That was it. Her head collapsed towards the table as her eyes closed, giving a futile defense against a rising torrent of tears that soon broke past the barrier and curved inward towards her nose. They were like cool water to the hot steel that was her face, burning as they trickled downward towards her quivering lips from which escaped whimpers of defeat.

"No…no…" The man in her mind disappeared, replaced by a vague memory of a large, blonde haired woman with well built curves and a gentle, warming smile. She wraps a bandage around a small girl's wrist after she had gone to try and wield a knife, attempting so vainly to imitate the moves of her idolized father. She holds a careful, maternal hand up to the girl's cheek, wiping away tears no different from the one now spilled by the same girl more than a decade later. A house is quiet in the early days of spring save for the sobs of the young girl who slowly relaxes at her mother's touch, the application of woolen bandage easing the pain and stopping the bleeding.

_"I'm sorry mama…I was-"_

_"I know child I know." _ She smiles with the light of warm summer days, perfect in this one instant of a few scattered, desperately clung to memories.

_"I just-I wanted to fight too."_ She'd wanted so desperately to imitate some of the moves her father had been showing off, as warm as her mother in this frame of young idleness. _"Dada was doing it, I wanted to show that I was good too."_

The elder blonde places a hand on the girl's hair, barely above her shoulders and of the same golden color of her mother. _"When I grow up I want to be a warrior just like you and dada."_

With blue eyes that see more in the girl's words than the girl herself, the mother runs her fingers through the soft, unspoiled locks that shine with solar brilliance. Her lips widen into a smile that does not bare teeth but only love.

_"I know you'll be Astrid…" _ She pulls her daughter in close, bringing the girl's head into her chest and embracing her with maternal care. _"Because you're my daughter, and you can be whatever you want to be."_

Astrid rolls her head against the table, back shivering as sobs came erratically and whimpers escape from her mouth.

_Whores can't be warriors…_

_"…whatever you want to be."_

"Mama…mama I love him…" She stammers out amidst her tears, making a confession that she knows is true but still worried about saying much out loud by herself, having never dared to utter it to anyone else in a truly honest manner. It was true; she felt it whenever she was close to him, whenever even thinking about him in both innocent and intimate ways. At times she wanted to scream it from the highest point she could find, or perhaps whisper it in his ears as they lay together begging sleep to come. But her throat always caught, her lips always weakened when the first sounds began to form in her larynx. There was a great revelation she wanted to make, but dark, broken voices within her stopped this confession.

She shivered at thinking of the boy at the stream, of being penetrated by multiple facets of his physiology and enjoying it just the same. So many years of being told that such a thing was pointless, dangerous, shouldn't be pursued and yet her she was raving his touch and longing for when she could finally consider herself ready to have it. It nonetheless hurt when memories struck with vengeance, scolding and condescending towards feeling she could not control.

How could these feelings be wrong? Everyone on Berk had to be a warrior at some point in their life and yet they nonetheless continued loving, giving themselves to their partners in even more ways than the ones Astrid had recently imagined. What she wanted wasn't necessarily bad-if it were against some code of ethics then Berk and the rest of humanity had been breaking it since the dawn of time. She wanted what everyone else wanted, what even her father had at one point obviously wanted or else she wouldn't be here to lament with burning skin and teary eyes. But for so long it had been drilled into her, a hatred-a repulsion-to the ways of softness, of desires that were supposed to impede the life of the perfect warrior.

But she wasn't perfect, not yet and she was beginning to doubt if ever. The shame of being constantly bested by an old man in scorching hot weather was proof enough of her inadequacy. If she were not perfect, would that then mean that she was allowed to indulge in things below her crumbled mantle of perfection? Had her failings given her the allowance of embracing that which for so long had been denied, or was it the embrace itself that led to such failings? Did any of it matter? Had her denial of what was right, what was hers all been the result of some sick fantasy imposed by her father upon her? To turn her into some emotionless killing machine, without love or thoughts of submission? What even was she now?

The thoughts, doubts of whether her character was imposed or natural brought further shakes as her lungs heaved forth sobs and eyes continued in their relentless torrent of clear, liquid misery. She was a lone voice in the silence of the hall as night continued to creep in, her agonizing eyes and cheeks-shining with the residue of sloppily brushed away tears- now more illuminated by the light of candles than of the natural sun. A gentle, feminine face from the past was her only comfort in this moment, the same now as it was on that remembered day.

_"Whatever you want to be..."_

"M-Mama…ma-"

"Astrid?"

She looked towards the door in a sudden panic, misery quickly shifting to fear as she saw Hiccup standing in the doorway, appearing just as much worried as confused. The orange sky of the setting sun was behind him, the dark mass that was Toothless lurked at his back trying to get a view of her. Her throat was still in the midst of fighting down bulbous masses of misery which prevented her from speaking, letting her only look at him with bloodshot and weary eyes.

"A-Astrid? Are you alright?" His voice was almost shaking with concern and shock. Astrid had to admit to herself that being found in such a position would be a surprise for anyone, and appreciated his concern.

_::What is happening? Is she injured? In distress? I smell something strange...::_ Toothless snuck his head around Hiccup's side and peered in at her, genuinely concerned at the emotional demeanor. Two sets of green eyes were trying to figure out what was wrong with this girl that they never knew to have displayed emotion in such ways, worried at what the cause could be.

Hiccup stepped forward, Toothless staying at the door for the moment and resting back on his hind legs. "Astrid? Did something happen? Are you hurt? Did something happen at training?"

His voice, a tenor that wavered with concern was alike to the singing voices of the gods to her in this moment. It was even more pleasant than the way she imagined his voice near a slowly passing stream. His actual body was there with her now, with green eyes that shimmered like tranquil pastures and a slim build that she wanted to envelop here. Thoughts of that body pressed up against hers, driving into her again and again by her own will began to arrest the sobs and restore the barriers against the stream of tears.

"No…no I'm-I'm fine really. Just…had something on my mind." She let out with a few staggered sighs and clenched breaths. He walked towards her, sparing no time in getting close and trying to console.

"Are you sure? You're-I mean you're crying…you-you don't cry…"

"Yeah…I'm just-just having a rough day is all. Hold me?" She reached out with her arms for him, the boy giving her an embrace without question even if he wasn't sure what he was supposed to be consoling. She melted into the hold, cherishing the warmth of his body and the feeling of the skin beneath his clothing. It suddenly reignited the want that had brought so many emotions out of her earlier. She had fallen into the pit of despair, and now wanted to once again assail the walls of joy.

_::What has been the cause of her distress if she is in no physical pain? There really is quite an interesting odor to the room that was not here before, is this the reason? I can understand this, it is a very uncomfortable smell.::_

"T-Toothless?" Astrid looked over towards the dragon that still stayed in the doorway, perfect for her ambitions. She gave a few sniffles and appeared extra sympathetic, truly saddened by something she knew could be used to her advantage. "Can-can Hiccup and I have a little while alone, I need to talk to him about something."

Hiccup quickly shifted his attention to Astrid, surprised at the sudden and strange request. Toothless raised an eye at her, taking the question rather poorly.

_::Why? I have just returned from a long flight and wish to be indoors, why am I being denied this request? Has the noxious odor clouded your sense of reason? All I seek to know is the true cause of your distress and yet I am immediately being put out, this is disconcerting to me.::_

The dragon huffed and stomped a paw into the ground, indignant at the resistance he was being confronted with. With still moist eyes and a shivering body recovering from an emotional breakdown Astrid looked to Hiccup, pleading with looks alone.

"Toothless…" Hiccup began, getting up from next to Astrid and walking towards the door. "You know how we humans can sometimes get into those irrational states you hate so much?"

_::Ah! So Astrid's body is once again vengeful with her for failing to produce offspring?::_

With a panicked face Hiccup looked back to Astrid, who showed some mild irritation at the dragon's inference but passed it by with a simple stare of refusal. Hiccup accepted the meaning of this stare and turned back to Toothless.

"No bud…it's just sometimes humans get emotional for certain reasons that they only want to share with a certain person. I'm sure she'll let you know later, but for now I think it better if you let her be."

_::Ah I see, dragons are not capable enough to understand strange human emotions is it?::_ The dragon's tone was lined with a condescension still revealing his frustration at being put out.

"Well…I mean would you even care if you did know?"

The dragon stood still for a moment before lowering his head in a concessionary manner.

_::…Well played, I shall be on the roof.::_

The dragon left the doorway and with a single bound and flapping of wings made his way to the roof. Astrid had gotten up from her seat, recovered from her bout and steadying herself on still weary legs. Astrid closed the door and left them in relative darkness as the sun began to seriously lose its hold on the world with its lowering beneath the horizon. With the low thud of heavy wood colliding with the doorframe the boy turned back to Astrid, curious as to this loneliness.

"Alright Astrid, now what…did…" He tapered off as she approached, gaining speed with each footstep as she lunged at him like prey with an expression Hiccup had never seen on her and that he could not immediately read. "Astrid!"

She collided with him, sending him back against the wall with a calculated thud that did not hurt but made her intentions known. She was quick to find his lips with her own, sucking on the lower lip and driving her tongue into his, refusing to be denied wants that surged within her again. Soft moans escaped from the bottom of her throat and found a chorus with those that came from his own, surprised but not fighting this sudden display of affection. Her hands were quick to swing around to his ass and grab on tightly, drawing a sudden gasp out of him at this new, romantic aggression.

"Mmmaa….Astrid what-oh…" It was impossible for him to protest as she sucked on his lower lip, syllables turning into groans-especially when she began to push her groin into his in caressing rolls, each one finding a new degree of hardness present with her pushes. Finding moisture and heat were building in her own groin once more she quickly tired of this waiting and became imbued with dominance. Hiccup was no longer a person but a dream made manifest, the same tool but in physical form.

"Come on!" She growled at him as she quickly shifted her grip from his ass to his shoulders. She swung him around and placed a foot behind his legs, and with some care not to damage that which she wanted pushed him down to the floor, giving the boy a shock as he suddenly found himself so vulnerable, so rapidly caught up in the confusing actions. She was quick to lower herself to his level, once more grinding her hips against his as her hands went for his arms, holding them firm against the floor for a moment. He could look at her in only total bewilderment-if nonetheless appreciative of this sudden intimacy.

"…yes...Hiccup…" She closed her eyes a moment, wrapped up in excitement and trying to control her rapidly beating heart. She reached for his hands and took them in her own. She opened her eyes just in time to see the look of shock on Hiccup's face as she slid those masculine digits underneath her tunic and brought them up to her breasts. "Touch me." She left his hands there as they began to feel around the two mounds. She could feel his excitement pulsing through his fingers that were scouring the entire surface, trying to appreciate as much of these features as he possibly could. Her nipples grew firm as his palms cupped them, lightly squeezing the firmaments and consequently sending shivers through her chest with each tightening of the fingers.

His eyes were shimmering with adoration, still struggling to come to grips with the sensation of touching her coveted breasts-and even more so her _forcing_ his hands up her chest to reach these summits. She could feel him growing beneath his clothing and her own crotch growing moist as he continued to touch her, back arched and making him reach for his breasts as she took a regal, dominating posture on top of him.

"Astrid…Astrid what's the occasion?" He asked with an air of happiness and disbelief as his fingers clung to the top of her breasts. The words broke a spell Astrid had put herself into, and with both their sexes close save for their clothing she stopped in the motion, taking a deep sigh as she peered down at the boy. He took his hands away from her breasts quickly, fearing he may have done something wrong. "Astrid?"

Her mind returned to clear thinking, clearing away the fog of lust as she looked into innocent green eyes that were as much excited as concerned for her. She grabbed his tunic at the chest and pulled him up while she sat back so that they faced each other at a small distance. They sat quietly for a moment as both worked on calming down their bodies from the recent bout of dry grinding and fondling that neither would complain about yet were both trying to fully understand. Still sideswiped by such a development, Hiccup spoke up after clearing his throat.

"Um…Astrid are you…I mean what uh…what was that?" His tone revealed that he wasn't sure whether or not to be more surprised than appreciative, and demonstrated a fear of discussing the topic, that if he talked about it such a thing would never happen again, that Astrid would cower back behind a shield of reservation.

She stared at him a moment, trying to think of something to say. She'd realized that it had not been the time or place to live out her dreams just yet-neither of them looked ready to her and in hindsight she was again feeling apprehensive about it. But now that the excitement had been stopped she needed something to fill the void, something to justify her break. Voices once more rose in her head, battling back and forth as to her very identity. One instead rose above them all, one that was decidedly her own and that with a few false starts managed to declare something she had herself known for far too long.

"I-I love you Hiccup."

The boy's face began to drop slowly at first before his jaw began to open and part a little, eyes widening as Astrid could see a breath stalling in his throat. He tried to speak for a moment but was caught with shock. Another attempt was met with an equal amount of failure.

"You-"

"I love you Hiccup. I just-I just wanted to say it because I can't _not_ say it any longer. That-all that- is just because I love you, because I know that I can't stand being apart from you and because…" She could feel her face growing hot with embarrassment, but at this point she knew no filter and finally wanted to say everything that had been bubbling inside for so long. "Because there are just sometimes when I just can't stop thinking about you and want to do…_that_ to you all day. I love you because I wouldn't want my life being any different than it is in this moment. Just you, me and Toothless out here on our own…I love it. I love that, and I love you, because you've given me the freedom I never knew I wanted and have shown me a world I couldn't survive in without you."

They sat quietly a moment after she finished, the poetic declaration hanging in the air. Astrid rubbed her face as her cooler fingers gave relief to the burning which she could nonetheless tolerate since it meant the truth was out. No more lies, no more hiding, no more obeying people that could no longer hurt or threaten her. She could see a change within Hiccup, one of a growing elation that was rising from deep within him as a smile threatened to divide his face in two and his eyes lit with a new excitement that appeared as powerful as her own.

"Oh come on I've said worse things to you."

He gave a few huffs of laughter that on their contrails seemed to banish whatever apprehensions and chains he had himself used to hold back such words that she knew had been restrained for much longer than her own confession.

"Astrid I…I love you too. More than you could ever know and maybe even more than you love me. I mean…when I first liked you I thought it was only because you were so pretty and you made me feel things I had never felt before but now…now you're just someone I don't think I could have survived out here without. Seriously! You're…you're just indispensible as a friend and-and I just love you because of that and…well that and I still do find you so pretty…beautiful…gorgeous…"

He stopped himself with a laugh, realizing he was rambling and had said all that was needed. Astrid couldn't help but smile at the compliments and ran a hand through her bangs before standing up, Hiccup doing the same. Once more face to face, they closed in for an embrace, bodies pressed tightly against the other as a testament to a newfound agreement and mutual confession.

"I love you Hiccup."

"I love you too Astrid."

They parted, each smiling and with a newfound admiration for the other that resided in their new knowledge. Astrid looked towards the door, suddenly feeling guilt that impulses she knew she could control had gotten the better of her and resulted in a callous ousting of another friend that she admired for different reasons altogether.

"We should…we should let Toothless back in." She turned back to find Hiccup still smiling, almost giggling to himself with a suddenly childish disposition she could not understand. "What?"

He looked away for a moment, trying to decide whether or not to say what was on his mind. He conceded to her demanding eyes but refused to meet them directly, sheepish and a small part worried at what his words might produce.

"It's just…I kind of got to touch your-touch your boobs is all…" He almost broke out into giddy laughter with the last few words. He received exactly what he expected when a jab came at his arm, not too rough but strong enough to make a point. He found her a little irritated, but not too much considering she had been the cause of this act of intimacy.

"Yes…yes you did." She took a pace closer to him, noses scarcely separate from one another and begging his eyes to pay attention, not out of anger but with a simple, teasing gaze. "And if I'm up for it…maybe tonight I'll let you do it again."

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

**Hello Peoples!**

**Yeah…so this chapter has been late, but as I've said before school does indeed exist. In terms of scheduling, there will probably not be another chapter until next Sunday. If I do not make that deadline, it will be postponed until the Sunday AFTER that, in order to get back onto a proper schedule and to put an end to all this madness that I'm sure you hate me for. **

**Certainly an interesting development we have here is it not? Took long enough for these rascals but it's finally out in the open. We have some conflict brewing for next time though. Is it between our lovely couple or do external forces now threaten all that they have? Afraid I'm going to have to make you wait to find out, but I think it will be worth it. **

**Anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter and if so reviews etc. are always appreciated. Want to exclaim how much you love these two? Want to yell at me for being late? Whatever it is, I love hearing from you, the people that make this all worthwhile. Remain patient and I'll see you next time.**

**-Mc.**


	19. Slaughter Of The Innocents

"Move!"

A light jab with the counterpoint of a spear prodded Eret forward with a jolt. His eyes hung heavy, his muscles tired and his legs weak from lack of food. His only delight was in the clinking of the chain as he trudged forward, giving him a bright, cheerful sound to stand out amongst his dreary circumstances. The downside to this was that the chain was heavy and put a great strain on his neck. It took the concentration of all his strength on his shoulders to continue supporting the weighty apparatus.

The forty of them and been placed in a line of chain, with a firm neck collar provided for each, from which chain protruded out the front and back of, tying them all to each other in metal bondage. They had been lined up single file and had been mostly still except for the occasional procession forward. They were told to keep their eyes fixed on the back of the head of the man in front of them, but every now and again Eret could catch a quick glimpse of what was going on ahead of them. There was also an uncomfortable looking stack of recently slain and bleeding bodies to the left that did not help to make Eret any more comfortable in his current conditions.

He and the last of the ship's crew were at the back of the line that had slowly progressed forward throughout the afternoon. They had sailed down a long river for the better part of two weeks now, navigating rocks and tree roots with ferocity as they progressed deeper and deeper into a land of wide open plains that were almost a kind of mirror to the grey-blue sky above. There had only been two deaths during the trip downstream that were quickly replaced with abducted farmers encountered in small villages along the shore.

They had arrived at some manner of camp along the river several days ago and had been unloaded into a large tent in which they were held. Through the occasionally managed peek outside they had seen a new batch of what looked like slaves from a far eastern land enter the ship they had arrived in, and the next day the vessel was nowhere to be found. If Eret had had any motivation or real feeling that it would have worked he'd have prayed for them, but found that since he was still in the conditions he was in that such efforts were fruitless at this point. He and the rest of the crew had idled in this tent for several days, being given meager rations of dry and virtually inedible food that they all somehow found the fortitude to choke down.

Many of the men had been intimidated by another sight in the camp, one that was not the result of men but the presence of a large number of dragons. While there had been virtually none in Ireland since the time of Saint Patrick and so Eret feared them little, those from Viking and German stock showed a healthy fear for the creatures and would freely put curses upon them whenever seen. Eret had heard the stories of the destruction that such wild and vicious beasts could bring, but always treated these things as the over exaggerated stories of children. Especially when the creatures around here seen so subdued, as though their own spirits were broken by whatever manner of dark specter hung over this army. He admired their colors, their forms; the very manner in which God had constructed them was fascinating. He admired these strange beings, these foreign creatures that stayed out of the way and cowered at the sight of any strong man. They were beyond anything else the most intriguing thing within this camp, if no less melancholy than the rest of Eret's circumstances.

They were roused late in the morning by a large group of well armored guards that had come with the long and heavy chain. Spirits broken and knowing that any kind of effort at fighting back would result in an instant spear to their chests, they had all agreed to bare the heavy burden upon their shoulders that slowly sapped at their already weary strength. They were formed into the line and marched forward in small increments towards some manner of end. Some men were released from the collars and brought to the right, where they were lined up and kept watch over by more guards. The sheer amount of soldiers around startled Eret, revealing the true extent of the wealth and control that whoever ruled this army had. Then there were those that apparently did something to upset the decision maker at the front, for their necks looked slit and shown burgundy with quickly pumping blood as they were thrown into the pile on the left, bodies twitching in the throes of life's terminus.

"Next!"

Eret's only relief was that a good share of these people seemed to speak some kind of a dialect of Norse that he could understand with some effort. Now more than ever he appreciated his Uncle Sven for teaching him the language of his distant ancestors. He considered himself a son of his Gaelic speaking parents without doubt, but appreciated his decadence from those peoples that had pillaged and harmed his homeland in the preceding centuries, most of all the language they gave him that now proved so helpful.

"I'm next Eret." Came the voice of Ewan, the only other one of Eret's boat to have survived all the way down the river journey. He was only a year older than Eret but younger at heart, with a high voice that leant itself well to song and bouts of screaming in the midst of harsh storms at sea. Now so close to the end, Eret had a better view of what was going on given his height and proximity. He peered beyond Ewan's shaking hands and caught sight of the process that had been making them all so nervous throughout the day.

Two guards-one looking particularly unremarkable- stood at either side of a large man whose face seemed to wear stories of distant lands and strange peoples. One of his arms bore muscles that seemed larger than Eret's head, while the other hung low, covered in intricate metal plating that Eret thought would serve as an excellent armor. Why it was only on one arm though he was not sure. His hair was dark and hung over his face in thick, circular braids that acted as a kind of loose veil to the scarred and weathered face. In his right and uncovered hand he held a slender, black knife. He looked down on the man that kneeled before him, asking him questions in a voice that seemed sent from the depths of Hell itself.

"…and I'm scared." Came the words from Ewan in front him. They both were coming to understand the way that this situation worked. Those that were accepted for whatever functions they were being evaluated for were divided into those fit and spared, and those unfit and killed. A game of life and death, of ultimate reward and ultimate punishment.

"I know Ewan. It will be alright. God has protected us so far."

"But not the rest of us…" His voice was already speaking in the low, raspy whispers of a defeated soul. His statement struck Eret fiercely in the heart, sign of total abandon in life in both this world and the next. Even if his own spiritual resolve had been wavering in recent weeks under his great wave of misfortune, the stories of others that had endured worse kept him aloft. Ewan did not seem to have that kind of resolve, having always been a man that seemed more interested in the acceptance he found in a faith rather than the tenants themselves.

"We shall get through this Ewan, with God's-" Eret was stopped as a gush of red liquid came from the man who had kneeled before the man with the knife and his body fell limp towards the ground, blood quickly draining out of his neck as his body was dragged towards the heap on the left. Eret believed he was from the land of Geats. A pity, they were a rather respectable people for any of their kind to be treated in such a way.

Eret could see Ewan's entire body convulse with a surge of terror at the sight as the Geat was removed from his harness and dragged away by more soldiers to the heap. Eret could see other soldiers and servants were bringing wood and oil towards the pile of bodies, preparing to burn them. It was almost over and Eret's time was coming up, the adrenaline began to rise and his heart beating louder and louder with anxiety. What would he say? What would he do? Did he even have a chance of survival?

"Next!" A soldier came over and dragged Ewan forward, throwing him down onto his knees with enough force that it pulled forward on Eret's chain, straining his neck beyond the agony he was already feeling for having held up this elaborate apparatus for so long. The man with a metal arm looked down with a piteous contempt for the young Irishman that kneeled before him, already scowling at the less than commendable muscles and the soft, young face that was better suited to a lover than any manner of warrior.

"You, what do you call yourself?" His voice was even darker the closer Eret got to it, the low vibrations threatening to shake his body if not his very soul. Ewan looked up at him with eyes that had never wanted to be put in such circumstances, which begged for mercy and wanted to understand the foreign language spoken to him.

"What…do you call yourself young man?" The man growled again, quickly growing annoyed at the silence Ewan gave. Eret knew that Ewan could not understand a word of Norse asides from a greeting and goodbye, and felt a quick compulsion to try and help with his linguistically split tongue.

"He asks you your-"

"Quiet! Do not disturb Lord Drago you insolent mongrel!" The butt of a spear jabbed into Eret's back and almost broke his skin with the force applied. He arched forward and nearly let a groan pass beyond his lips at the pain. He looked back up to this man-this Lord Drago as he was apparently called- who had taken a quick break to survey this disturbance to his work before turning his attention back to Ewan, who could only look at Drago with confusion and fear.

"You…you do not speak the same language that I do? Is this true young man?" There was mocking tenderness in his speech now, a lack of care for Ewan's very existence as he leaned forward, staring deep into the man's eyes that only wanted peace and security, not this deathly chaos that surrounded him. Ewan was still, wanting nothing to do with the real world anymore. Eret could see it on his very skin, with each inhale of his nervous breathing at the knees of this strange, foreign dominator.

"So sad, you could have made a good slave…" Drago took the blade to Ewan's throat, and with one decisive slice opened it up to the elements, letting out a burst of bright crimson that made a quick, nauseating splatter on the ground as the body fell over. The two guards assigned to their task hauled the convulsing body over to the pile where the wood was being stacked all around and the corpses were being doused with oil.

"Come on tough guy, best for last right?" The guard behind prodded him with the back end of the spear again and forced him to take the kneeling posture before Lord Drago. Eret's knees fell into a puddle of blood, of all those that had fallen ahead of him including the recently deceased Ewan. He could feel the amorphous liquid seeping through his clothes, the blood of almost twenty men caressing his knees in his submission to a man who seemed spawned of Death and Darkness themselves.

"You then…" Drago began leaning down and inspecting Eret's body as though he were a woman. But instead of sex appeal and potential for children, he looked for strength in body and soul, for tenacity and will. "What do you call yourself, other Irishman?"

"Eret, the son of Eret, the son of Eret and so forth." He spoke in a neutral voice, not wishing to act defiant yet at the same time not desiring to be submissive. Drago was quiet for a moment, evidently surprised at the well spoken Norse.

"Well then Eret, what do you fear?"

"I-I fear nothing of this mortal realm. The only thing that any man has to fear is the wrath of God, nothing else." He wasn't sure if faith and such a philosophical statement regarding it would keep him alive or warrant his death, but it was the first thing that came to mind and so the first thing he could say. The only response he received was a low, guttural laugh that came from deep with Drago's core that was trimmed in nothing but condescension.

"Ah…I should expect this much from your people. Tell me then Eret, son of many Erets, do you fear dragons? Do your people fear dragons?"

Eret kept neutral eyes fixed upon Drago, heart threatening to burst out of his chest at any given moment and mind nearly too awash in terror to think properly. He resorted to the most basic of responses, latching on to whatever thoughts randomly occurred in his brain and turning them into intelligible words as fast as he could. "N-no. No neither I nor most any other Irishman fears dragons."

His denial brought a smirk to Drago's lips that in no ways helped Eret's shaking hands and staggered breath. The large man whose black cape of strange leather obscured half his body leaned inward, making Eret fear that the knife was coming next without any manner of warning. Instead, he once again laughed, this time with an appreciation that-while still mocking-seemed a little more serious, on the border of genuine appreciation. "And you think this is bad for you? That you do not fear my many dragons?"

"Y-yes. I would think that you would want everyone to fear you and your many dragons Lord Drago."

Drago leaned back, smiling and seeming to be loosening his grip on his knife, even if the presence of it in his hand alone still made Eret prepared to leave this world at a moment's notice. He instead looked over to the men that had been lined up, those that had survived this ordeal and seemed eager for Eret to join their ranks. He peered down at Eret, a malevolent smirk writ upon his lips.

"On the contrary young Eret, men like you-without fear of dragons- are what I need. I need men to bring me more, to survey the lands that lie ahead of me and tell me of what dragons reside beyond this place. I need men like you, and so you shall work for me. Do you agree that you will serve me? That you shall capture dragons and bring them to me?"

It took a great deal of concentrated effort for Eret to make a single, hard swallow when faced with the question. Yes he did not fear dragons, but to go out and subdue them, these fire breathing, winged devils? He could admire at a distance, but to go face to face with such formidable creatures about which he had heard nothing but tales of woe and destruction?

"If you do not wish to do this…I am sure that there is still space in the pile over there." Drago uttered in a gruff voice, gesturing to the pile that was now giving off a pungent miasma of oil and death, a stack of bodies in whose blood Eret kneeled in. The feel of it against his knees felt like a warning, a plea for this one man to not join the amorphous puddle of strangers blood, the final unification of many peoples that would have never known each other were it not for the common heritage of man known as death. Eret's mind was awash in fear, his legs smeared with blood and his very soul cracking under the terror of such a horrible death and a pathetic eagerness to live at any cost.

"I…I-I…yes Drago…_Lord_ Drago. I will bring you dragons. I will serve you. As God as my witness I shall serve you in any manner I can." He could sense Drago's eyes piercing through him, mocking his weakness and reveling in the sad shape of a defeated man that Eret found that he had become. He felt Drago draw close one more, and felt a tight breath leave his body when he heard and saw the knife hit the ground. Drago leaned in close, thick, heavy breath beating against Eret's hair. His one hand of flesh grabbed his chin and raised Eret's head to come face to face with this familiar of darkness, whose face became even more intimidating at so close a proximity. He chuckled, looking deep into Eret's eyes with a smug smile at knowing he had won himself another worker.

"Perhaps he shall be your witness, but it matters not." Drago brought his fingers-calloused and rough- down towards Eret's neck, where he found the thin leather string on which Eret held his cross that he had managed to keep on his person throughout his entire ordeal. Drago took it in his fingers, slowly pulling it up until the small cross peered out from under his clothing, dimly shining but refusing to fully lose its luster. "After all, you…" He covered the cross with his fist and pulled hard on it, yanking it off Eret's neck with enough force to pull the Irishman's whole head forward as the leather snapped and the silver disappeared into Drago's grip.

"…belong to me now."

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

If it were not for the light, pleasant breezes that are so typical of that time of year, summer would never be given the opportunity for its beauty to be appreciated. For now though a gentle gust rolled over the French village and gave an air of comfort to Astrid and Hiccup. The two walked idly through the narrow streets of the village, enjoying the lush greenery that was the surrounding woods and hills and the lazy, mysterious songs of nearby birds. Life was calm, serene and felt anew on this day.

When considered, it had felt as though life had been restarted for them since last week. The mutual confessions of love had broken down a fence that both had been ignoring for quite some time. There was a new understanding between them; one without secrets or nervous whispers to the other's sleeping bodies. As the summer bloomed and matured so did love, sweet and new and free to materialize itself in much the same ways that it had been before, only now considered done under the desire to express love openly instead of in concealed, restrained ways. Being known to love made life so much easier, each other's actions more understandable. Kisses seemed more affectionate, more genuine. The holds of one against another during the night felt more secure, more caring. Hiccup could now truly appreciate when he caressed Astrid's arm as this beautiful girl lay in restful slumber beside him. There was also the new perk of her allowing -or at least not punching him- for when his hand either purposefully or accidently found a resting spot on one of her breasts. He tried to get her permission for it usually when they were both falling asleep, but he wasn't going to chastise himself if for reasons that may or may not have been beyond his control he woke up with one firmly in his grip.

"They're probably at the town square, think I hear some voices coming from there." Astrid muttered lackadaisically. For reasons of faith they did not bother themselves with they knew that the last day in the weeks of seven the French observed was one to be taken off, to be spent relaxing and enjoying the nature of life itself. Neither Astrid nor Hiccup was one to complain about this, as it gave the former a welcome break from training and the latter's hand a much needed respite from tedious and strenuous drawing. Instead his hand could be where he wanted it most, locked with Astrid's in joyous unity.

Astrid's fingers could amaze Hiccup sometimes as the couple walked hand in hand down of the village streets. They were firm and indicated that she was still a woman who could fight, that could handle weapons and fight alongside the best shield maidens and other warriors that the world had to offer. At the same time they were of a caring, gentle nature; that despite how much they endured they could still make him feel loved and cared for in the most tender and protective ways. Her fingers when interlocked with his own were a warm reassurance against whatever hardships or pain life could throw at them, her presence a guard against uncomfortable sleep and a rejuvenating solace after long days making maps-in which his skills were gradually improving.

"Yeah, you want to see what's going on?" Hiccup wanted this moment, this reality to go on forever. In the quiet lull of a warm summer day, hand in hand with a girl that he could freely say he loved and who he knew loved him back all the same. Life seemed to finally have a true and concrete purpose, a total dedication each showed to the other and a desire to protect this new and precious entity without which the glory of days like these could never be truly appreciated. The longer that he could walk with her, the longer he could make this moment go on the better.

"Mmmhhh….sure. Nothing better to do." She tucked her head into the space between Hiccup's head and his shoulder, giving a restful sigh as the two walked forward, content in the quiet of a village that was mandated by powers beyond their control to rest. Yet the voices at the center of town and the increasingly notable pings of steel colliding with other steel did pique their interest. They continued onward towards the sound, each call and shout and French swear drawing them closer and out of the warm womb of idle bliss.

They turned a corner and arrived at the village center where the entire settlement had seemed to have turned out for some great occasion. Hiccup knew that this was the day where the village gathered in the large building with a steeple near his workshop, but he had not known them to congregate here much on this day. Steel continued to clash with steel, masculine groans rising from beyond the walls of people that blocked their view. Over the tops of their head they could see a large and unfamiliar banner flying in the breeze, a plain black cross set against a pale white background.

"What's going on?" Hiccup whispered to Astrid, only to find that she was in the midst of concentration, fixated on the low, guttural and frantic sounds that came from beyond the shroud of on-looking persons. One was foreign to her, but another came rushing to the front of her mind after a few more moments of concentration.

"Godefroy?" She broke from Hiccup's grasp and pushed her way through the crowd, caring little for nicety as the villagers parted for her begrudgingly. Hiccup followed in her wake, disappointed that holding on to her hand to end for the moment but now growing concerned at her own worry. Both lovers made their way to the front of a circle of people that stood around the center of the village, and paused at what they saw.

Straight across from them stood at attention a good three dozen armored men, draped in white surcoats with the black cross to mimic the banner under which they stood. They varied in age but all looked to be of good fighting strength, stoic in their face and keeping threatening eyes on the rest of the village. At the front of them was a person Hiccup could only indentify from what Astrid had told him, but one that Astrid could point out easily. She could never forget the face of any man she had so easily bested in combat.

Sir Conan of Vannes stood at the front of this assortment of men, sword drawn but stabbed into the ground with his gauntlets gripping the pommel. He appeared just as much satisfied as embarrassed by his position, and Astrid figured it would have something to do with the fact that Sir Godefroy was instead doing battle with someone else, frantically clashing swords and evading strikes by another warrior of similar age to his own that repeatedly pushed him around the village center.

"What is this?" She growled to the air. A Norse speaking villager responded.

"Sir Godefroy's old apprentice apparently went back to his home with great speed after you bested him. He and his father and that retinue arrived this morning and Sir Godefroy was challenged to a fight right away to take place right now. Barbarous to fight on a Sunday I agree but this family has apparently decided to abandon the proper ways of God. Even more pitiful that Sir Conan does not even fight, but his father who calls himself Sir Paol fights instead in his place."

Astrid and Hiccup continued to watch as the duel continued, swords coming over the top and from the sides towards each opponent with ferocity and a total abandon for any of the more proper techniques that Godefroy had tried to instill on Astrid in the past month and a half. Her teacher no longer seemed to be fighting with honor, but with a determination for survival, his face flustered and moves sharp and determined. This Sir Paol fought with a wild abandon and beyond knightly means, with a style that reminded Astrid of her own before coming here, but one with far more force and determination behind it than she knew herself ever able to muster.

"So Conan knew he couldn't beat Godefroy so he's having his dad do it? For what? To redeem his honor or something?" Astrid grew increasingly worried at the furious clash of swords that took place before her; the way that nothing seemed to be held back as blade collided, slices were deflected, stabs parried and an intricate dance of footwork propelled the two combatants back and forth across the square.

"In a way, yes." The villager began. "But Sir Paol made it clear this morning that upon the defeat of Sir Godefroy that we would have to hand over all our precious belongings to he and his retinue as further retribution for the humiliation of his noble son. Sir Godefroy has vowed to win this duel to protect our village, and I would hope so for both his sake and our own."

"Why? He's been defeated before, sure it's sad but he knows how to handle defeat."

"Defeat yes, but in keeping with the Godless nature of this disgraceful family, Sir Paol has decided that this is a duel to the death for the fate of the village."

The word threatened to stop Astrid's heart, and Hiccup could see it. The frantic and desperate swings and lunges of the two warriors could now be understood as the result of the most furious determination native to the human heart, the will to live and to extinguish the life of another for one's own preservation. Godefroy made a wide swing towards Sir Paol, but once more found his efforts deflected and a counter strike narrowly missing his armor. Astrid's heart began to fervently pound with a nervous surge of adrenaline, outright concerned for the welfare of her struggling teacher.

Hiccup kept wary eyes darting across the entire panorama before him, concerned for all peoples involved. He knew Sir Godefroy from only a few scattered meetings when going to see Astrid at training but knew him to be a man of good character. Now he seemed flustered, his cool and collected nature removed to reveal the desperate animal struggling to survive. These other Bretons, those that followed this Sir Paol and his none too impressive looking son did not appear of the same demeanor or as worthy of their warrior status as the aging Norman, wearing faces of frustration that belied even more sinister emotions beneath. He could see it in their eyes, a lust for plunder and destruction that was being held back until the duel was done. They appeared more like the people back on Berk than the idealized noblemen that Astrid and described Godefroy as exemplifying, men more interested in the thrill of wild bloodlust and the sinful indulgences of war than the proper doctrines of combat that better men tried to live up to.

Surrounding all this were the collected villagers in whom Hiccup could see true fear hidden behind a valiant stoicism. They knew what the true cost of defeat would mean-Hiccup could see the visions of fire, destruction, looting and rape dancing behind their eyes. Glances between themselves and the three dozen Bretons who kept hands near their weapons seemed to only build on the nervous energy between the two groups, the village center became awash in a sense of ominous dread. Lives were being recounted, peace made with their God as the swords swung and the warriors continued in their intricate dance that would finish with blood. The entire scene stirred forth new emotions within Hiccup, not only fears for these people but a newfound sympathy and compassion for those that had welcomed he and Astrid and-without their knowledge-Toothless into their lives and allowed them comfort and idleness for the past month and a half. His own gifts of welcome maps had enamored them to him in an intimate and genuine way, earning him an appreciation and respect that he had never truly known on Berk. He felt a bond, a connection with these people that he could not truly pin down to any specific reason, but it was still a feeling of friendship that he would hate to see destroyed by the defeat of a single man.

"Saint Denis!" Godefroy came at Paol with a strong blow from the side, and both Astrid and Hiccup's hearts pumped furiously at the loud ping of Paol's sword deflecting the blow. The Breton knight took a step back and withdrew his sword from the clash of blades. Godefroy moved to attack again as he brought his sword back into a lunging grip, ignoring a movement that chilled Astrid's blood in the brief moment she could see it.

Sir Paol swung his foot forward and came at Godefroy with a quick burst of speed, taking full advantage of the infinitesimally small instant in which the Norman was still recovering from the recent strike. The sword came forward quickly in a lunge that struck through the calm of the day and shattered the idyllic serenity that Hiccup and Astrid had never wanted to end.

"No!"

The blade found its place with marksman-like aim and slid through the Norman's chainmail with ease, just managing to pass through the back side of the knight's body as the sword ran through his heart with one decisive strike. The air was made silent for a moment, all gathered peoples briefly catatonic at the event. Sir Paol slowly withdrew the blade, blood stained steal dripped with the red life of the quickly dying knight. Godefroy dropped to his knees with a low, animalistic grunt as Paol's sword dripped with the freshly extracted blood. Paol took a brief look at the face of the wounded knight whose chest leaked blood into his surcoat before raising his sword once more and taking a final swing, removing Sir Godefroy's head and sending it onto the ground with a few dull thumps to the aghast shock of the collective audience.

"N-n-no…" Hiccup clasped Astrid's hand firm as he sensed her desire to rush forward to the side of the fallen knight whose life had become quickly extinguished at the hands of the Breton blade. A round of polite and morbidly distinguished applause came from the Breton retinue as a squire brought forward a cloth for Sir Paol to wipe the blood on his blade off on. The rest of the retinue laid hands of the hilts of their swords or other weapons; Sir Conan brought his sword from out of the ground and gripped it in his hand, yelling some kind of congratulation or method thanks to his father in French. The son seemed unashamed at his own role in his father's actions, more satisfied in the outcome than in whether or not it was a reflection on his own honor.

Hiccup could see the wrath quickly building in Astrid's body language, her jaw was close and teeth undoubtedly clenched together. Her hold on his hand was growing agonizingly tight-he wasn't sure how long he'd be able to keep this grip before she rushed his fingers. Whereas Hiccup was more concerned for the well being of the townspeople that the Bretons eyes with greed and lust, Astrid could only keep her gaze fixed upon the now decapitated head of her former teacher, strewn with blood as it lay motionless on the ground. "…you…you bastard…"

Sir Paol seemed to show little care for the grizzly seen caused by his own hand instead stabbed his sword into the ground and raised his arms to address the town in a Norse that was rudimentary but still sufficient to convey his arrogance and pride.

"Your defender is fallen villagers. Our agreement states that with his defeat your possessions are further retribution for the humiliation given to my son. You are to hand them over with peace, or…" The knight gestured a hand back to the retinue who on cue fully drew their weapons and brandished the shimmering steel in the bright summer sun. "We shall have to take them by force. It is your decision."

The villagers were quiet and did not move for a moment, still struck with shock at the gruesome death of their protector and role model whose head and body lay divided before them. The air was still, life slowed in the tension of the moment. The Bretons were getting impatient, Paol and Conan each smug and confident now that their goal had been achieved.

"Do you wish to suffer? I do not wish this, so bring us your wealth!" Sir Paol once more demanded upon the villagers who shuffled a little where they stood and made uneasy starts to walk, but who frequently stopped themselves, torn between parting with all they had and facing a fate equal to Godefroy's if they chose to try and defend themselves. The anticipation wore down on Hiccup most of all as he sensed the fright, the pure terror emanating from the villagers, helpless and defenseless against powers greater than themselves.

Sir Paol drew his sword back into his grip and swung it forward, making some villagers take a few steps back in fright as the situation neared its apex, the point of no return before the inevitable explosion of violence. Hiccup took a deep breath to calm his nerves and removed his fingers from Astrid's grip, the girl broiling with anger that her weaponless self could not immediately lash out at he who had killed her teacher and friend.

"Unless you seek to send another champion to challenge me, give up! Sir Godefroy had an apprentice yes? Son?"

"Yes father. But it was a girl, and it would be dishonorable to fight-let alone kill-a girl." Conan responded, making malevolent eyes towards Astrid whom he could just see at the opposite end of the village center. Sir Paol rolled his eyes at the thought, and the words brought up a few chuckles from the other Bretons. Hiccup knew Astrid wouldn't stay quiet for long, especially after that incident. He could see her drawing a long breath to steady her nerves, no doubt preparing to challenge the knight regardless of her gender.

"Well then, if there are no others that intend to defend these people, then-"

"I-"

"I do!" Astrid's arm had barely made it in the air to denote herself before Hiccup's own leaped for the sky, his voice shaky and visibly nervous as he shouted his volunteering. Her mouth fell open and mind blanked at the thought, this insane action that for no good reason had lodged itself in Hiccup's head. Sir Paol's head tilted as he tried to discern who had accepted the challenge.

"Who says this? Step forward and show yourself!"

With nervous steps Hiccup began to distance himself from the crowd, leaving behind Astrid's shocked and furious eyes as he exposed himself to the Bretons. Expecting such, he did not care or feel hurt when the retinue and the Sir Paol broke down in laughter and yelled jests and insults his way in a mix of Norse, French, and some peculiar tongue that he could only guess to be their native language. He could feel the hundreds of pairs of eyes upon him, all surprised but none doing a thing to stop his sacrifice. Astrid's burned into his back, and he knew he would have to work out more issues than he was ready for with her when this was over. He wasn't even sure what he was doing at this point, his legs felt compelled by greater forces beyond the control of the rational side of his mind that would have instantly ran from a fight like this. But this voice was crushed under sympathy, pushed aside by a bond that did not understand itself, only what it wanted to do.

"This…this is the apprentice of the great Godefroy of Countaces? This-this is a joke yes?" Sir Paol was nearly collapsing in a laughter of ridicule. Hiccup parted his arms and accepted the mockery, offering himself for what he was, come what may.

"Yes I am. I am…Harold of…Paris, and I intend to fight on behalf of this village for their protection." It was taking all his self composure to hide the fact that his knees were ferociously shaking and his palms would soon start to drip with sweat if he couldn't wipe them off. "Fight me at your discretion."

Paol rolled his eyes at the challenge, looking back to the retinue who likewise continued in quieter and more subtle jokes at Hiccup's expense. He was looked up and down by the elderly Breton, ruthlessly analyzed and no doubt being thought of as weak, useless and certainly no challenge to an experienced warrior. He knew he was nothing but, yet he still stood with pride and determination in the face of this deriding evaluation. Sir Paol took a final scoff at him and went to place his sword back into its scabbard, confident and with a never more inflated ego.

"Ha. Very well then Harold. We shall meet back here at noon tomorrow for our battle and your death. I shall see you then and from there take the spoils of this place. Goodbye." The knight turned around and yelled to the retinue in Breton, causing a sheathing of all weapons and a beginning of a withdrawal from the town center to find shelter in the nearby woods for the night. The villagers started to move again as the Bretons drew farther and farther away, the priest gathering people together to deal with the corpse and head of Godefroy, around which Astrid now hovered in solemn grief.

Hiccup felt he was going to faint, but knew better than to show weakness at now of all times. The villagers eyed him with a strange mix of fascination, appreciation and concern for his well being. They kept away from him for the moment, admiring his bravery from afar but mourning his foolishness all the same. He approached Astrid slowly with weak footfalls, drawing her attention and the rage within her eyes. It was this glare, the fires within azure oceans that terrified him more than the thought of battle or dueling with a warrior a good foot taller than him. He felt small when faced against her of all things, truly terrified as he began to recognize the severity of his own actions.

"So…we need to talk…"

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

She didn't want to talk.

During the entire walk back to their house she had said next to nothing on the subject, silently brooding on the steady march up the hill. Every effort Hiccup made to draw a word out of her was met with silence or some manner of huff that blew off whatever point or plea he was trying to make. It was making him nervous, this tempered silence that acted as a shield around her, blocking whatever he wanted to say and allowing her to maintain an uneasy silence all through their walk. He'd never seen her quite like this. She was a girl that would freely release her anger on whoever deserved it-which was more often than not him. This seemed different; this silence was unbecoming of her and yet somehow even more threatening than any punch or insult she had ever thrown at him. This more than anything had him on edge, it was not the abuse but the waiting that was the most difficult to bare.

For the moment though he could scold himself and imagine her angry words in his own voice that was as equally upset with him. He knew he'd messed up this time, but he was still torn as to whether this decision was stupid or noble-if the two things could even be differentiated. Wild thoughts ran through his mind quickly that all pictured himself and Sir Paol in that village square. In a few wild and he knew vain wishes he stood over the knight's body, sword lodged in the Breton's chest and Astrid at his side erotically clawing at him. Honor and glory would be his as he so often desired them to be.

Most others thought were of a more realistic result, in which he lay on the ground bleeding from his chest in the manner of the now vanquished Godefroy and looking up towards the triumphant old man who was swinging a sword towards his head in a finishing move. Astrid still stood over his corpse and wept, but this romantic melancholy was hardly a valid consolation to such grim thoughts. He saw nothing but failure and his own demise coming as a result of his foolish bravery, not that he was regretting the emotion itself. His cause still felt right, his actions just. He had never been surer of his own convictions and felt proud of himself for taking the stand that he did.

Yet he knew that if he took this stand, he wouldn't last long at all. The tips of his fingers were cold with the fear of what was most likely going to happen. Visions distorted his thoughts and threatened his very cohesion, walking itself became a monumental task as his body panicked at his minds own thoughts of blood, death, and the fate of an entire village now squarely within his hands. On top of that was Astrid's disturbing silence, a shroud of mute, passive-aggression that he could not penetrate.

The house came into view as they came to the crest of the hill, the village in the distance still safe and still enrobed in the beauty of the summer day. A few small shafts of smoke could be seen in the woods near the village, the camp of the Bretons as they no doubt sharpened their swords and made boasts of what they would do tomorrow when the weakling that had challenged their leader was slain and the village's wealth was free to be taken.

Toothless raised his head to see them from the roof of the house, his neck a dark silhouette to the bright sun that surrounded them. He extended his wings and swooped down to meet them, Astrid stopping in front of him as the dragon sensed something was amiss between the two humans.

_::Did all go well in the village? These plumes of smoke in the distance concern me.::_ Astrid pushed her way around Toothless and kept moving towards the house, a move the dragon took modest offense at seeing as he had done nothing wrong.

_::Well then, what has made Astrid so upset? Hiccup?::_ The dragon looked to the boy, logically deducing that he had to be the most likely culprit behind this strange attitude.

"What?! Why do you just _assume_ I'm responsible for this!?"

"Because you _are_!" Astrid's scream was even more terrifying since it had been so long in the waiting. It pierced the calm of the day and threatened to set birds to flight. Both Hiccup and Toothless turned with startled faces to find a quickly reddening face confronting them. Her finger was pointed at the boy, seeming more intent to be a spear to pierce his heart than of a simple accusation. "What in the name of Thor's magnificent ass were you thinking!? You dimwitted idiot!"

Hiccup was frozen, falling back on his instincts of what to do when Astrid was angry. He was expecting aggression of both the verbal and physical varieties, suffering flashbacks to younger years of her standing above his battered body laid out in a pile of mud. His mouth fell open in fear as she began to step forward, the tapered and cultivated wrath of a long walk now released to take its true form in Astrid's distinctive rage.

_::Oh this HAS to be good…::_ Toothless walked a few paces away and took a seat, more so interested in viewing this confrontation than to stop it. Hiccup stammered as Astrid approached, trying to muster a counter argument that he knew would be no comfort to her.

"I-I-I-"

"What the Hel is the matter with you! Have you lost your mind Hiccup-no-_Harold of Paris!_ What, do you think…do you think-gods I can't even imagine what you must have been thinking to do something as idiotic as that! I just….gods!"

"Astrid! Astrid I was-"

"No!" She threw her hands up into the air, still not laying one down upon Hiccup but making him no less nervous at the sight of her clenched fists. "No you weren't anything! Hiccup I-"

_::Stop! Before we continue in this amusing episode, can either one of you PLEASE explain why I have to behold such a thing in the first place?::_

Astrid brought her hands down to her sides and took a deep breath, one that eased Hiccup's fears as he saw the muscles in her face relax and her fingers withdraw from her clenched fists. She looked to Toothless and held an accusatory finger back up to Hiccup, still angry but in a more collected state.

"This _idiot_…alright those plumes of smoke you see are from a group of followers of the father of the guy I beat in a duel when we first arrived here."

_::Sir Conan of Vannes?::_

"The very same. He brought back his father and a bunch of other warriors to fight his battle for him. Bastard! And his father-his father just killed Sir Godefroy in a duel and cut off his head! Oh gods I just-oh! And then they were going to steal everything from the village and probably destroy it and they said that if anyone else wanted to try and fight for the safety of the village they should step up and this-holy Odin above Hiccup of all people actually volunteered before I could actually try and help! Me! The one Godefroy had been training for the last month and a half!"

Toothless turned a lazy eye towards Hiccup, who stood quiet and nervous before the two intimidating figures.

_::You…intend to fight a warrior? Who had just killed another warrior?::_ While Toothless could not physiologically laugh in the way of a human, the low, short, sounds emerging from his throat had the same mocking effect as a full human guffaw. _::After making the decision to steal Astrid away with us…this is undoubtedly the most irrational decision you have yet made. How did I not see that you were prone to these?::_

"Isn't it though!" Astrid exclaimed, her finger back in the air and pointing at Hiccup. "I just….gods how could you be so stupid!"

"Alright, alright just hold on-hold on a moment here! You heard what they said! They weren't even going to allow you to fight him whether you wanted to or not! I was just volunteering because…well you weren't going to get anywhere regardless!"

_::Wait, so you were then merely offering yourself in your place of her? This makes more sense than the earlier statements, even if your assumptions of your own physical strength are no less humorous.::_ Toothless rolled his eyes and looked to Astrid, bidding her to speak once more and to release more of this anger that seemed to be emerging from a bottomless chasm of suppressed and ripened emotion.

"It doesn't matter whether or not they would have even allowed me to fight Hiccup! It's about the fact that you of all people actually volunteered when there were no doubt people around who were stronger than you and who could probably fight a whole lot better!"

"Well did you _see_ anybody else volunteering? I sure didn't!"

This statement did have the effect to silence Astrid for a moment, and behind her quiet lips Hiccup could see a change in affect working through Astrid, an expulsion of the last waves of pure anger and a greater willingness to understand this delicate situation. She took a long breath and steadied herself, speaking with a more calm and collected voice that still shimmered with rage but in a more controlled form.

"Alright…yes maybe that is true but Hiccup-Hiccup I don't want you to go into this fight."

"Neither do I!" he exclaimed with a fair amount of self deprecation behind his voice. "Do I look like I'm exactly up and able to go head to head with some guy who just killed the same guy that it took you _weeks_ to get any sort of an edge over?! I'm freaking terrified here! I don't know what the Hel I'm supposed to do!" His hands were raised to chest level and fingers curving inward with anxiety, trying to shatter whatever false notions of bravado or courage Astrid thought were with him with an easy display of fear.

_::So you are truly aware of your deficiencies of strength when compared to this man, and yet you volunteer to a test of power anyways? I was wrong, this is by far the most irrational and dangerous thing you have ever done.::_

"Exactly! And that's just-just _why_ Hiccup?! Why are you doing this to yourself?!" There was a strange fear Hiccup could fear on her voice, not one of self but for others, some manner of sympathy for him that he appreciated as he responded.

"Because somebody had to. I just-I saw all those people and I thought about what could have happened to them and I just…I wanted to stop that and to try and protect them. The opportunity was there, so I took it. I was just trying to protect them is all. They've welcomed us in for the past month and a half and-and I didn't want them to suffer. That's why I volunteered."

His confession hung on the air, refusing to so easily drift away and to lose its innocent, honorable conviction. Neither Astrid or Toothless spoke for a moment, absorbing the statement and the sentiment behind it. The sun struck down in a delicate balance between overbearing strength and tender warmth.

"Well Hiccup…" Astrid started forward, placing a hand on his shoulder and gripping him tight, forgiving but still frustrated. "That's great and all, but it still doesn't help the fact that you have to fight this guy tomorrow."

"I know…" He lowered his head in defeat, well aware of his failings. "I'm scared Astrid."

"I am too Hiccup." The confession of fear made him raise his head, tilting it in interest to her softening and more concerned face. "I mean…if you go out there and try to fight this guy you're going to die, and don't want that."

"W-Well part of the reason I volunteered too was because I didn't want _you_ to get hurt. I saw what that guy could do and I thought that-"

"Hiccup?"

"Yeah?"

Astrid looked into him with an appreciative but frustrated glance, one that spoke to her amusement at his honorable tendencies. "I appreciate your concern…" She closed his head toward his own, intimate and sympathetic. "But I think I could handle this a little better than you, yes?"

"Yeah…" He sighed, relaxing along with her as they came to this uneasy conclusion between each other.

_::You always could not engage in this confrontation. This seems the most logical stratagem for you at this moment. Since engaging in this confrontation would to harm for you-which I do not wish to see happen-I would advise simply abandon this fight. I can be ready to leave whenever you desire.::_

Hiccup turned to Toothless with an exasperated and irritated expression that he had come to perfect when explaining human actions to the beast. "Well if we do that Toothless, a lot of innocent people are going to get hurt and the whole village would suffer. We don't want that now do we?"

_::I neither want it nor am against it, if they are not necessary to us I see no reason why we should even bother in their defense since we can simply leave at any instant of our choosing. With this option available it then seems illogical to stay and engage in a confrontation that you are in no condition to perform.::_

"And that's what makes humans and dragons different Toothless." Hiccup joked as he looked back to Astrid, still gripping him tightly and eager to find a resolution to this debacle.

"Yeah, well then what does the human want to do to rectify the fact that he's massively screwed up this time? If we flee we leave them to the Breton's wrath…we could try scaring them away with Toothless-"

_::No you shall not. Unlike my informing you of the feud in the valley a few months earlier I have no part in this, so do not think of conscripting my powers to free yourselves from this mess, even if the head of my friend is on the line. If you do not intend to follow my advice to flee than find another way to rectify this situation. I am not sacrificing my own safety for the sake of redeeming you of your faults.::_

"Well then that option's out." Astrid huffed at the dragon's defiance, knowing that whatever amount of begging they did would be no use against the dragon's logical arguments.

"Yeah…guess we're all we've got available…" Hiccup sighed to her, melting at her touch even if she needed him to be strong and clever at this moment. "Astrid I-believe me I'm scared here. What are we going to do? I'm sure you could certainly put up a good fight, but if we try and request you substitute in they won't let you."

A look emerged in Astrid's eye that intrigued Hiccup, one of unique thinking and clever wit. A smile began to crack upon her lips, mischievous and ingenious at the same time. She looked beyond him to some flowers near the tree line, one's that she knew of but had not cared about until this moment. Hiccup tried to look behind himself to what interested her so, but instead she grabbed his face and loosed a hand towards his hair, drawing a strand close and analyzing it a moment.

"Wha-"

His question was broken by a quick, joyful kiss on his lips before he was pulled into an embrace that threatened to kill him then and there. Was her plan to simply kill him so he couldn't fight? For having recently confessed her love that seemed a rather drastic option, and not one he was particularly keen on.

"Oh yes…yes this is perfect."

"What-what's perfect?" He asked as she pulled away, smiling at him and shining with a newly restored faith and confidence in the both of them.

"Oh you'll see…but first I'm going to need a few things."

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

**Hello peoples!**

**I'm back! Yes hopefully now that I'm out of school we can get back to a fairly regular schedule of updates here. In harmony with my wonderful Beta "Writer for the Tylywyth Teg", we shall continue on with this story hopefully unimpeded for the duration of the summer. **

**With that said, hope you enjoyed this installment and that it was worth the wait. Tragedy abounds this chapter, will all be made right next installment? Leave a review to guess and let me know what you think of this chapter, to give my guidance for the next. I'll see you next week and until then stay tuned!**

**-Mc.**


	20. Transformed

_Goddess in my garden_  
_ Sister in my soul_  
_ Angel in my armor_  
_ Actress in my role_

_Daughter of a demon lover_  
_ Empress of the hidden face_  
_ Priestess of the pagan mother_  
_ Ancient queen of inner space_

_-Animate, Rush_

* * *

"Overall I would say that a few oak beams will be enough to repair the damages chief Stoick, that is all."

A lone and unimportant voice disappeared within the depths of the great hall, filled with the entire village that eagerly desired to go back outside and escape the hot, stuffy conditions of a building filled with the tired, sweltering bodies of an assembled tribe.

"Thank you Lars, son of Harold."

Stoick wiped his brow, taking a long sigh to remove as much heat from himself as possible. Summer raged and even on Berk a hot day was no better than a hot day elsewhere. The summer solstice was upon them, it would shortly after be the peak of the hot weather before they would finally be relieved of such conditions and could return to the cold, brutal misery with which they were so familiar.

"Haakon, son of Haakon, has your household anything to report?"

His voice carried towards the end of the hall, booming and stern even if all-including himself-could feel the weakness within it. An exhaustion, a fatigue stemming from anguish that all could sense but none seemed intent to address. He looked out into the shapeless mass, waiting for another man to reply to his inquiry on damages and whatever other ails plagued the village today.

The raid last night had been a little more rough than usual. The dragons had not retreated so easily when confronted with strength and steel. They fought on in the face of adversity, going to great lengths to secure what food they could and striking back with a furious determination. Even when they could fly away they fought like a cornered animal, determined and filled with a tenacity to kill that they had been demonstrating more and more in the past year. He had gone to Gothi to seek her council on the matter, but the smoke she breathed in and the symbols she drew for him said little of substance.

_Dusk approaches, the dawn shall come in double…_

While Stoick enjoyed good poetry as much as any chief of culture or distinction should, prose was little comfort to him when the stake of his village and tribe was at stake. He ignored such fanciful words and instead tried to focus more on practical matters of the village, to houses and crops and the material things upon which a tribe survived.

"No my chief, no serious damage to report and my three sheep were safe inside my hall when the raid occurred. Nothing else to report."

"Very good then."

The tribe shuffled awkwardly in the heat, trying to stay interested in the smothering warmth. They also knew whose household-whose now _single_ household- traditionally came next on the roster of inspection, and eyes began to shift and look for this man about whom rumor and gossip abounded.

"Haldor, son of Ragnar, have you anything to report?"

The hall fell quiet, people looking in shadows and groups for the man around which private conversation for the entire winter and spring had been based upon. Stoick had heard it all from Gobber, his trusted ears to the goings on of the village when Stoick couldn't be near the chaos. Of the maniacal screams and sobs that could be heard from within his hall at all hours of the night and early morning, of his ferocity when chopping down tress that made him appear like a berserker in battle. The stories increased with each passing month, whispers of hatred and longing towards different people that Stoick tried to dismiss, even if the present silence only reinforced the fears that he wanted kept to the world of gossip and ludicrous fantasy.

"Haldor Hofferson, are you present?"

The awkward whispers and nervous grunts of the masses continued, irritating Stoick all the more as the lack of response stirred up fears and concerns for the relationship between the two, one that Stoick knew had been rapidly falling apart since one uncomfortable morning last autumn when both their lives had become irrevocably changed. Stoick had managed to keep such an event off his mind for the most part-the chaos of a village constantly under draconic assault was always a pleasent distraction from the ailments of the soul. It was no secret however that Haldor had not and did not seem intent to recover from the shock of that cool, beautiful dawn that had led him to only darkness, and the village's silent concern was growing deafening.

"Haldor Hofferson? Have you anything to say?"

"No." The quick and stern word arose from the shadows near the back end of the hall, skillfully projected to reach the chief without losing any of its vindictive sting and trim of disdain. "No chief Stoick, I have nothing to say to you."

The assembled tribe looked to their chief who had been insulted not with words but with tone, a dark and hateful snarl that was better saved for the executing of fallen warriors than for addressing an authority figure. Stoick stalled for a moment, the growled rebuttal stymieing his want for control and respect as hundreds of pairs of eyes looked to him for leadership and determination while his voice cowered for a brief instant, threatened with his own memories of a morning that had never left Haldor's thoughts for a single moment.

"Well…very well then. Are there any other matters that a leader of a household would like to raise?" Stoick was met with silence from the gathering who clearly wanted nothing more than fresh air and freedom from the tense standoff of personalities at the two ends of the hall. A few coughs and scuffles of feet were all that greeted him, and with a deadpanned expression Stoick realized that this was a meeting better adjourned than forcing more conversation out of an uncomfortable village.

"In that case, you are all dismissed to your repairs and work, have a good day."

The mass was quick to disperse, the younger and more impatient children running for doors as fast as the word was given with the adults following behind soon after. Gusts of cool and fresh air blasted their way into the hall as the doors were opened wide and the village marched out to their tasks, relieved of the awkward nature of the hall meeting. Stoick watched them go with resignation and a tired yawn, feeling the drain of a long night's battle and a morning filled with inspection, quick repairs and getting a head count of the village. He could sleep now that all was taken care of, but such fatigue made his body slow and his will to make the journey home to his bed an arduous task that he did not want.

Gobber was the last to leave the hall, giving a fond look back his chief and friend who looked more ready for the slumber of death than to stay awake much longer. He wobbled outside, leaving the door open a crack for his friend to exit when ready but leaving him alone in the dark hall, lit by only a few torches and what few rays of sunlight could penetrate into the building.

With a gruff moan Stoick pushed himself away from the table upon which he had read the log of households and rolled up the parchment, taking it in his hand and walking around the great fire pit at the center of the hall. His steps are slow and speak of his growing age, one made more severe by a life filled with the stresses of draconic war and raising a now absent son-not that such a thing could matter to him now. His bones ached and muscles wished for rest, his body desiring a serenity in sleep that he knows will escape him in all probability. His dreams throughout the winter and to this day had been marred by a dark presence, a shadow of grief and a feeling of abandonment that hung over his thoughts like a veil of black ether, refusing to go away when he was not occupied with the thrills of battle, drink or the various headaches of running a village of Vikings. Still, rest was rest no matter what specters plagued his thoughts, and he looked forward to meeting this specter soon.

He made it halfway towards the door when a presence caught his attention, a shadow hiding within a shadow near one of the corners of the hall. He stopped, standing up straight and collecting his thoughts as two blue eyes stared at him through the shadows.

"What do you want Haldor?" He asked to the darkness. The pair of eyes blinked before there were quick shifts of body and the shadow rose from within itself, cloak falling close to the floor as the man approached towards the edge of darkness, too timid to step into the light.

Stoick turned to look at him better, seeing for the first real time in weeks this remnant of decayed man. His once majestically blue eyes that he was always proud for having and having passed on to Astrid had become unhealthily pale in the iris and showed off labyrinths of red in the whites. His ebony hair displayed a greasy shine from lack of washing and his small stubble across his face-his inability to grow a better beard had always been a joke told behind his back- was unkempt and displayed no effort dedicated to grooming or appearance. His cloak was as much an article of practicality as one of concealment, shutting away this body from the world and vice-versa. He was a relic of a once proud and strong man now brought low, and Stoick saw in him a being he never wished himself or any other person to ever be reduced to.

"Mmhh…ahahahaha…" A low mumble of a laugh rose from Haldor at Stoick's previous question and the chief's very appearance. "What do I want? You have the _nerve_ to ask me that?" His voice was shaking with a disturbed and angry hysteria. Stoick was certain that he was either soon to start breaking down into hysterical laughter or into fits of violence, neither of which the chief was particularly willing to put up with. The chief narrowed his brow and took a huff of air to enlarge his already grandiose figure.

"Haldor…you've been drink-"

"Don't lecture me! I've dealt with the pandering and false sympathy of you and everyone else in this damn village for the last seven months now and I'm sick of it! Worst of all is you! You think-"

"Haldor!" Stoick interjected with authority as he stepped forward, at equal height with the Hofferson patriarch. "Do you have some manner of problem to voice? Some problem _other than_ Astrid's absence?"

The mention of that great tragedy in Haldor Hofferson's life sparked a fire within his pale and deathly eyes, igniting emotions that had been waiting for a spark to set them into motion, mobilizing thoughts and feelings that had been waiting for just such an opportunity to be unleashed. A brief moment of anticipation passed between the two before Haldor began.

"No-no problem is more severe than my girl's abduction! Need I remind you that such a thing is your fault! This is one problem you cannot fix, for you have caused-"

"Haldor! I did _not_ cause Astrid's abduction! I am _not_ responsible for what my so-Hiccup did and you-"

"Nonsense! Whose child was Hiccup's? Whose job was it to raise him right? Whose job was it to beat out all those weaknesses he'd shown since birth? Who had the task of making him a good future chief?! And did you do any of that? Did you do any of the things that would have stopped him from befriending a dragon so that he could kidnap my precious Astrid? He took right after his mother, just as weak and worthle-"

Haldor was cut off as Stoick's hands clasped around his clavicle, not quite putting him in a chokehold but prepared to do so at a moment's notice. The Hofferson only flinched a moment at Stoick's stern face and growling voice before he began to break into a high pitched, almost mewling laughter that scraped the top of his register. His eyes were wide and infused with a wild zeal, a conviction in the self more powerful than religious fervor and more determined than the will to live.

"Ha…aha-ahaha..ahahhaha! Oh yes…yes that's it, you feel it too don't you?" His high pitched and near squealing voice echoed hard against the walls of the hall, this lone voice crying out from the shadows of his self and his surroundings. "Yes I feel that Stoick, I feel that anger in you. You miss Astrid I know it. And I know you miss _her_ too. And I'm willing to bet-call me crazy, I probably am at this point-that you miss _him_ too. I can see the regret in you Stoick, I can smell the anguish you're feeling and can see it on your very person. The way you walk, the way you've been fighting…I saw you out there last night. Sloppy work, very sloppy. I think-"

Stoick's hands closed in on Haldor's neck, still not applying the pressure but increasing the threat to where it would only take a quick motion to inflict some serious harm on the Hofferson man. "You-you have _no_ right to speak on how I feel about any part of my life. You may be a wreck because of the actions of Hiccup, but that does not mean that I have to be. Astrid's gone Haldor, whatever's become to either of them is up to the gods to decide. You need to get over that." Stoick's voice was low but firm in determination, summoning all his chiefly authority to try and finally nail this notion into Haldor's head.

"Ahaha-ahahahaha! Oh yes you would love to think that wouldn't you Stoick eh? Just want to cast parts of your life out to the winds and let fate decide them? Think you're better than me because you have no problems getting rid of your disgrace of a son? Astrid's gone yes this is true, but this does not mean I have to forgive the cause of that. Which is _you_ Stoick. _You _are the reason I don't have her." Haldor closed in on Stoick's face, giggling just a short distance away as he spoke. "You're the reason I don't have Astrid, why you don't have Valka, the reason _we_ don't have our children anymore…ah-ahaha!"

Haldor broke away from Stoick's grip and fell back into the shadows, still giggling hysterically and losing himself to his own world of despair and projected misery. His cloak wafted in the corner, he became a shadow within the darkness that he now inhabited.

"Hald-"

"_That _is all I have to say to you Stoick. You're a bringer of disaster for yourself and for everyone around you. So go! Go and make your scurrying around and do what you're respected for doing. You destroyed my life; it's only a matter of time before you destroy us all. I can see it! Dusk approaches! Ahahaha!"

Haldor's cackle resounded along the walls of the hall and struck Stoick's ears as a shrill siren, a portent of false doom pronounced by a man well beyond the pale of rational thought and awash in more self pity than any human should have to suffer. Stoick watched as the man took a seat near the corner and covered himself with the hood of his cloak, no doubt making himself hot in the stuffy conditions-not that a broken man cares much for such trivial issues such as personal comfort. Stoick left the man to his madness, seeking the rest he had been looking forward to before this strange interlude.

He passed the door as the last tenor giggles of Haldor resounded off the hall, gazing out into the afternoon sun as it shimmered off the serene waters surrounding the island. The villagers were getting to work on their repairs and going about their business; under his guidance they had survived all these years since he had taken leadership, and he was convinced that it had been for the better. Yes there had been faults along the way, but he could disregard these as small failures set against the backdrop of success. Failure could be overlooked, whether it had to do with him or not. He was only a chief, and in terms of a chief he was a success.

The wind blew, the sun slowly gave way throughout the day and raced towards the horizon, eventually to set on this day and once more invoke the fears of raids yet to come. Shadows and those held within thought against him, but to Stoick such things would not impede his pride or his determination. Dusk was approaching, but he would not let it engulf him until he was ready.

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

"Can I see _now?_"

"No! I'm almost done just a little longer!"

"You've been at this all afternoon!"

"I'm almost there just be patient!"

Hiccup was still sweating a little and his feet were sore from a busy afternoon of hunting for certain plants in the nearby woods with Astrid. It had been a long hunt but had at least been concise, after everything was gathered they had returned to the house and Astrid had banished him upstairs. She had set up downstairs and gotten to work, not telling Hiccup exactly what she was up to and making him wait in seclusion. He'd heard some moving around and some growls of irritation but had waited with patience, intent to be surprised.

The sun was beginning to set but there was still brilliant light outside, one of the perks of the peak of summertime. Toothless dozed on the bed, enjoying this brief luxury as Hiccup paced around the bedroom, waiting with anticipation as he listened to splashes of water and slow caresses of hair that echoed up from downstairs.

_::Whatever she is doing down there it smells pleasant at least, such aromas are putting me to sleep.::_

Toothless moaned on the bed, swinging his tail slowly back and forth in the warm haze of slumber. Hiccup huffed as he placed a hand against the wall, his stomach still in knots from the stress of the day, from seeing a man die to challenging the killer to Astrid screaming at him, today had been a wild ride. Now that night was gradually approaching the haze of that morning was returning, a pleasant bliss had overcome the house mixed with the buzz of excitement. Once they'd returned she'd grabbed some of his clothes for reasons he wasn't too sure of and had taken the downstairs to herself. He hoped she wasn't getting his clothes dirty; they weren't exactly easy to come by even with their remaining Welsh jewelry and the village's gratitude for Hiccup.

Astrid has been infused with a new zeal since her plan had been hatched, what that was Hiccup was still to see. She had been flush with excitement, filled with a distinctly feminine passion for her own self and whatever twisted thing she was planning with an assortment of flowers, dirt and other plants. Hiccup had some ideas, but nothing too firm. All he knew was that whatever she was doing was making the house smell like the outdoors, with dirt and plants mingling into a pleasant odor of nature caught in the fullness of life.

"Alright! Come on down! But close your eyes; I still want it to be a surprise!"

"Uh…okay." Hiccup took the first step down with a beating heart as his right hand ran along the wall. His eyes closed as he took each step, stairs creaking with his footfalls. He was actually impressed with himself that he managed to navigate most of the stairs until it came to the last two, where he overstepped with his right foot and took a tumble forward down the last two and into the fall face first. He collapsed to the ground in pain with a low, pathetic moan of disappointment in himself.

"Hiccup!"

Astrid rushed over to her as the boy clung to his head on the ground. She leaned down and laid a hand on his hand and ran her fingers through his hair a moment. "You alright Hiccup?"

"Uh…ow uh…yeah I guess."

"Come on I'll help you up." She knelt over him and extended a hand which the boy took, clasping tight as the girl hoisted him to his feet and then watched in amusement as his eyes widened, jaw dropped and lip gently quivered at what his freshly opened eyes perceived.

Her facial features were still unmistakably Astrid. Her face was round and cheeks of that plush complexion that always demonstrated a heavenly rosy tint and her eyes still shimmered like the pure waters of glacial seas. But while the physical features tied into muscle and bone were still the same, her appearance had dramatically shifted. Her hair had been colored a dark brown with a feint red tint and was worn noticeably different. Her bangs were made equal in length and worn down floppily. Her braid was gone and what long hair might have majestically flowed down her back was now cut no lower than a little below her shoulders. Her entire head appeared changed, this transformation thoroughly done by a clearly skilled hand.

"I-uh..As-Astrid I…um…"

"You like it? Took me a while and granted my axe isn't exactly the best mirror but I think it came out pretty nice eh?"

"Uh…I-I you-you look like…uh…"

"I look like _you_ silly!" Her feminine voice betrayed her new appearance but was enough to break Hiccup out of his shock of both the fall and of finding this new person willing to help him.

"I uh…yes you do I-I mean wow you…how did-?"

She laughed a moment, amused by his shock that she had worked so hard to make a surprise. "Come on, what else did you think I was making you gather dirt and flowers for?" She ran her fingers through the hair that was now no longer a sun-like blonde but of a great similarity to Hiccup's own, resembling dirt mixed with a little blood. She was still beautiful in this form nonetheless, but Hiccup was still flabbergasted at the transformation.

"So-so this is-"

"Don't you get it?" Astrid raised her arms to her chest, where her breasts were noticeably more suppressed and more so resembled the well toned muscles of a masculine torso. "Hiccup, _I _may not be able to fight this battle for you, but _as you_ I can. I doubt Sir Paol is going to notice the facial differences enough to discern a difference and…well I think I can pull off your accent decently enough."

"…uh, what?"

"Yeah…" Astrid began in a high, nasally accent that was well within her register and that held a perfect balance on the fine line between graininess and delicacy that exists when giving a nasally impression to one's voice. "See? My name is Hiccup, but I call myself Harold of Paris because I'm an idiot that likes to pick fights with big mean knights!"

Hiccup was quiet a moment, staring into this amalgamation of male and female qualities. "I… do _not_ sound like that…"

_::Yes you do!::_ Came Toothless' thoughts from upstairs. Hiccup was learning that his thoughts and their projection had a range that was dependent on visual range and physical proximity. Hiccup rolled his eyes at the low and mumbled thought before turning to Astrid, who was nodding her head with both self-approval and agreement with the dragon.

"Yeah…you kind of do."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah." Astrid gave a single nod of affirmation before breaking into a smile of lighthearted guilt. "Ruffnut and I…sometimes when we would spend time with each other and walk around the village we'd try and do impressions of people and…well you were always a fun one to try because of your voice and Ruffnut told me I was good at it. See? Not all that abuse was for nothing was it?"

Hiccup sighed at the statement but couldn't help smiling, knowing that the impression-though he refused to acknowledge that he truly sounded like that-was likely good enough to confuse the Breton. "Alright maybe-"

"Alright maybe-"

Hiccup stalled a moment at the interruption before trying to resume. "Well I guess it sounds like-"

"Well I guess it sounds like-" Astrid cut him off again with her nasally impression, now on the border of laughter again as she ran more fingers through her freshly dyed hair.

"Alright Astrid-"

"Alright Astrid-" She broke into a fit of giggling before moving forward and swinging an arm around Hiccup and dragging him forward to the table where a bucket of water and some cups filled with powders and liquids awaited. "Alright alright I'll stop, but only because it's your turn.

Hiccup's feet became heavy and his compliance with Astrid dragging him ground to a halt. "My-what do you mean my turn?"

Astrid now dragged him along more forcefully and brought him to a chair, sitting him down and leaning his head back towards the table where he stared at her eyes that blocked a less interesting view of the ceiling. "Well if I'm you, then who's going to be me? Relax. This will all work out fine, trust me."

"Uh…"

"We're actually really lucky..." Astrid brought the bucket of water to under Hiccup's head, adjusting both objects a little so as to make them a comfortable distance from one another. She dipped her cupped hands into the water and began to drip the fluid into Hiccup's hair. "You hair's been growing a lot since we left Berk, so I could probably braid it enough so that it would be maybe half the length of what mine was. I don't think any of those knights took much notice of me, so they should probably think nothing of it. Now hold still." Astrid gripped his head and held him down, cautious that he might squirm.

"Uh…are you doing what I think you're doing?"

"I told you to relax. I'm just washing it right now which you have _not _been doing much lately and it shows. Then I'm going to start adding the dye and-"

"The what?" Hiccup tried to get up but with one hand Astrid held his face firm and eased him back down towards the water.

"Don't worry! These don't last long and will come out after a couple of washings. I've done this before."

"When?"

"Oh Ruffnut and I would use these natural dyes sometimes when we would hang out just for fun. I once found a combination of flowers that would make her look pink, _that_ was a fun day."

"You-"

"Relax I'm just using a basic blonde mix for you, going to get you looking like me in no time." Astrid's voice was cheery and almost childlike in its delight at the thoughts buzzing around her head. She wrapped his hair around her fingers and gently pulled on it, applying more water and reaching for a nearby cake of lye soap and running it over the tufts in her hands. "When I'm done with you you'll be looking like a dashing young thing that no guy could resist."

"It must suck being you then."

"Not anymore." She sighed as she began to lather the soap and started rubbing circles into Hiccup's scalp with her fingers. His neck and head relaxed as he fell into her hold, more water being sloshed onto his scalp and the drip back into the bucket a gentle sound to give echoes to the house. "We will have to talk about your boobs though."

"Mmh? W-what?"

"Yeah…well see I'm stuffing a few cloths down my pants so I…well look like a man. Like you."

"A lot?"

"Don't flatter yourself. But if I'm doing that then we're going to have to do something about giving you some tits and…we're just going to have to make sure we can cover up…well…_you_. I'm thinking we could tie some of our socks down over your chest and just tie some more cloth over them so they look like the real thing. Lucky me I don't exactly have the biggest set on me so it shouldn't be so much trouble."

Hiccup couldn't help but smile at the lackadaisical and relaxed nature of the conversation. Astrid's fingers boring deep into his skull and massaging the skin beneath with a loving caress also helped. "Well that's good for…uh…me I guess?"

"For both of us." She asserted, rolling her fingers towards his forehead and pulling them back, dragging away some of the lather and moving to wash some more water on the scalp. "For you because it means we don't have to get too elaborate with things, and for me because I don't have to deal with giant sacks weighing me down every day."

"Mmh? You mean you don't like the big boobs?"

"No girl does. Try having two giant and useless sacks on your chest everyday. I'm lucky mine came in smallish, means I can still do everything I was trained to do. Of course you probably think that the bigger ones are better right?"

"Well…I mean they look pretty cool. Very…very um…sexual?"

"Ha!" Astrid cackled in a mocking tone as she poured more water in Hiccup's head, beginning to wash away the soap and oil. "Oh _sure_ you'd believe that. My dad was right about one thing, kids like you know _nothing _about women. Always think you do but you don't."

"Oh and you know so much about men? You're an expert on what it's like to have a di-ow!" Hiccup startled forward as Astrid ripped two hairs out from near his forehead before she grabbed his chest and pulled him back to the chair, smirking as she now doused his head and removed the rest of the suds.

"Why don't we just agree that once this is all said and done we can have a nice little chats about boobs and dicks and all those things you want to talk about? How about that?" She leaned forward and whispered this into his ear with confidence that carried with it the faintest trails of irritation that could have just as easily been mistaken for a latent satisfaction in causing the boy some pain, even if done more playfully than with malice. "Now, why don't we start with the dye? I've got it all ready here and it applies best when the hair's wet."

"Uh…okay?"

Astrid's hands fell away for a moment before they rejoined with Hiccup's hair and applied a somewhat think paste that she began to slick down to his ends and rub across his hair, taking her time as Hiccup leaned back into her fingers once more, enjoying their touch and careful work. He would be lying to himself if he said that such a thing did not feel good. To be made into something else, a creation of a person he loved was a powerful feeling. It was a giving of trust, an allowance to be made something that he wasn't that was a new and exciting feeling that he had no precedent for. That and the feeling of Astrid's fingers on any part of him was a privilege that he could never take for granted.

"Now you're _sure_ that this will come out after a few washings?"

"Yes! I've done this plenty of times before…this dye formula is one of the few things I remember from my mother."

"O-oh?"

"Yeah." Astrid applied more of the dye but now rubbed Hiccup's head with softer, easy strokes as her fingers stretched and she took the whole of his head in her hands. "She taught me this a month or two before she died and said "You'll need to know this in case your hair starts turning like your father's and you want to stay blonde like me." So…I guess I've kept this in the back of my mind a long time and figured_ hey, if we're going to do this we might as well do it right_."

"Aw, that's nice." Hiccup muttered as he succumbed to relaxation, letting the sensuous massage of his scalp and the soon to be revealed work of Astrid's dye doing its work. He understood why Ruffnut and Astrid would have liked this, it was actually rather enjoyable. "So you and Ruffnut…you did this regularly?"

"Well when we had free time when my father wasn't working my ass off training and we had the materials available."

"Huh." Hiccup gave a simple response, but it was just such a nature that led to Astrid's inquiry.

"What? This surprises you?"

"Wha-I…well…well I guess I just never thought you'd be into these sorts of things. Didn't seem…you know, _you_."

"Gods…" She amusingly huffed at the boy's ignorance. They were still learning so much about the other, it amazed her how two people for so long in close proximity to one another could ever have secrets. "I wasn't _always_ running across the island and lifting sheep from sun up to sun down you know? I'm allowed to like _some_ girly things Hiccup."

"Well I know but…just never pegged you for being into this kind of stuff that's all." He was defensive in tone but knew all was in good fun as Astrid slid more of the dying agent into his hair, now working much of the lower hairs near his neck and making sure the dye coated every tip and shaft of his hair.

"Don't worry, I'll change that. After we let this stuff dry then we'll fit your boobs on and maybe do you up in the last of that Welsh jewelry and make you look like a real girl. I've always wanted to see what it would be like to make any of you guys look like one of us, guess now I have the chance!"

"Uh…well let's not get _too_ carried away? Alright?"

"Oh fine…guess I'll just have to keep wondering what it would be like to kiss a girl..."

"Oh! Well…well in that case I guess-well who am I to deny you that?"

Astrid leaned in towards his ear with a tender smile that belied more sensuous thoughts hidden beneath."That's a good girl."

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

Hiccup's stomach hadn't settled all morning. His legs were weak with a nervous anticipation and every sudden move or noise from around set him on edge. The sun was just reaching its apex but the day was fairly cool so far, a strong ocean breeze sweeping through the village that only added to the tension in the air felt by all.

He'd never really wondered what he would look like as a blonde, but he could be proud in saying he could pull off the look handsomely enough. His hair was almost as light as Astrid's natural tone if just a shade darker-rapidly assembled dyes do have their limits after all. He awkwardly walked through the crowd, still getting used to the various amenities Astrid had used to strip him of as much of his masculinity as possible. His most innate sense of being male knew that this was unnatural and held an angry conscious that he had been rendered to such a state, but higher levels of intellect knew that such an embarrassment was a necessity for the moment. In a way it was a punishment for his foolishly brave actions, and if this was the worse he had to put up with he could suffer such a thing for a day.

Probably the most uncomfortable aspect of this ordeal was the awkward sensation from his hips downward. First his manhood itself was strapped down with a cloth tied over it, with one string running around his waist for another to run perpendicular and tied to it in order to support the rag. There were a certain number of sensations Hiccup was determined to never feel again in his life, and that of a string firmly wedged into his ass-crack was rapidly getting high on that list. Then there were Astrid's pants and boots that clung to his body on the verge of being overly tight. He wasn't sure if it was the actual wearing of such garments or the embarrassing fact that he could fill out the tighter garments of the feminine physique, but the sooner he could get out of these and return to looser clothing the better. On top of everything was the tight grip of Astrid's studded skirt that pinched his hips and weighed him down as the heavy leather and metal begged for gravity to take its course and pull the whole ensemble to the ground.

The fake breasts were actually surprisingly comfortable for the time being, although the wool socks being used to give the necessary curvature to his chest were beginning to irritate his nipples the more he moved around, so his movements were increasingly becoming calculated to avoid as much friction caused by the abrasive fabric. He would be lying though if he said they weren't interesting to have for the moment, this was a rare opportunity to explore the other gender and to find out what it was like on a border that he never had a true need or will to cross, but this chance to flirt with what he may have been like if born to another gender was still tantalizing. Would Astrid have been nicer to him if they were of the same sex? The thought interested him, though it usually devolved into the interesting thought of if he could still fall in love with her in that form, and from there to odd areas of carnal fantasy that he had rarely contemplated but was going to be sure to do so when his crotch wasn't tied down so painfully. It was already a tantalizing and exotic thought, and he had a feeling that a feminine version of himself and Astrid in the usual acts of deviance that whisked though his mind was going to be a persistent thought going forward.

He and Astrid stood in each other's form across from the Breton retinue who were waiting on Sir Paol to show himself. Sir Conan was already out front in full regalia and making light conversation with another knight, giving the occasional glance their way with derision or mocking. So far Sir Conan did not seem to recognize the facial differences between the swapped Vikings, and it was a time that Hiccup was grateful human memory was dependably fallible. He was worrisome that they might recognize his hair braid as shorter than Astrid's had been yesterday, but so long as he didn't reveal to them the back of his head he was confident that scenario could be deterred.

Astrid's own hair was what currently had Hiccup mesmerized. Her own long hair was gone, chopped short and her once beautiful braid that he had only rarely seen undone gone. He'd always considered her even more beautiful when those thick blonde strands were let down and each stem of hair could move freely in the breeze. Now the chance of that happening was gone for a good long while as she was left with nothing more than a mane that was the length of his own, making them both equals at least in the realm of hair.

"Come on you bastard…either show up or don't but make your choice already." Astrid muttered as she spun her axe, spearhead stuck in the ground and rotating the shaft in her palm. She was still the girl he had always known, but there was a new wonder to her, wearing exclusively his own clothing- the old green tunic he had left with that fit her perfectly and a new pair of beige colored trousers looked good on her and in an odd way made her all the more attractive. This new form of masquerading as him had an odd appeal to his libido. Was it odd to be attracted to oneself? To be attracted to a false representation of your own gender so long as you knew the opposite lay underneath? How could Astrid-her very essence, the idea of her-make either sex so attractive? Was he over thinking this? Probably.

"Well I mean if he doesn't, all the better for both of us right?"

"It'll mean I cut off my braid for nothing and that I don't get to see you dressed up for much longer, but I guess you're right…" She muttered in her attempt at his accent. He had tried doing one of her to get back for what he still considered an unfair representation of himself, but there was something about her tone that was always escaping him and the impression always came out awkward and resulted in her laughter. Not that her laughter wasn't as sweet as life itself, but he'd appreciate it if he could bring her to such a state with genuine wit and humor instead of embarrassing himself as usual.

"I told you I don't sound like that…"

"Well until you're back to being you, this is how you sound."

She was bitter in her voice, but Hiccup could understand such a state of mind as being put in a life or death situation such as combat with a skilled opponent. He kept his hands down to his sides and peered around to the villagers, who may or may not have been aware of the changes in hair and body build but who nonetheless kept quiet over the matter, not wanting to perhaps spoil their best and only opportunity for victory and safety. They were all gathered around in much the same way they had been yesterday, the blood of Sir Godefroy from his felling still stained some of the dirt in the center of the village. They had heard that he was to be buried tomorrow morning after the fate of the village was decided, and Hiccup knew that Astrid would be wanting to attend the ceremony, whereas he was more so interested in the burial rituals of these people whose faith continued to elude him in understanding from a few cursory investigations.

"All bow your heads for His Grace Sir Paol of Vannes!"

Sir Conan announced his father's arrival with a voice that may have sounded impressive but belied the weak and spoiled nature of his person. From behind a group of Bretons came the father, wearing armor shining brightly in the strong noon sun. His mail shirt and leggings made of various interconnected plates glimmered with a fresh layer of polish. He was certainly intending to look as resplendent and prestigious as possible-which Hiccup considered odd since he knew the knight felt this match was going to be easy and such care for appearances shouldn't have been necessary. Perhaps he was just being courteous to look good for what he thought to be a slaughter? He had to have _some_ honor after all.

"Here we go…" Astrid whispered as the Breton stepped forward, sword drawn and looking to the villagers who observed in nervous silence, filled with tension as they observed that the moment of decision had come.

"Hey…" Hiccup stepped right next to her, pulling on her shoulder and drawing the girl's attention. She was unarmored and equipped with only the axe she had been training with for the past month and a half. She was a head below the Breton as well, though Hiccup knew she could probably find a way to turn this into an advantage. Every Breton eyed the two of them, thinking one was the other as they drew close in one last act of togetherness before departing and letting fate take place. "…just be careful out there alright? I'd hate to go back to that bed alone."

Astrid rolled her eyes at the poor attempt at understatement before grasping him by the tunic and drawing him in for a brief kiss. "Don't worry; I won't let my girl down." She laughed as she turned away from him, leaving Hiccup to take a moment to work out the wit of her statement as she locked eyes with her opponent across the village square.

"Sir Paol of Vannes, Harold of Paris, please step forward." Came from a man that the Vikings recognized as a priest of the village faith who wore robes similar to those of Father Liam back in Ireland. In his left hand was a copy of the village's holy text wrapped in black leather, in the right hand a pine branch dripping with water. The combatants complied and began to pace before each other. Astrid kept her axe to her side for now, not wanting to become chastised and disqualified for starting things earlier than they were supposed to. She and the Breton came to within a few paces of each other, stopped by the hands of the priest.

"Sir Paol of Vannes, Harold of Paris, you are brought here to decide the fate of this village following the insult inflicted in battle upon Sir Conan of Vannes. By the request of Sir Paol-on the basis that the challenger is not knighted- there are no rules to this engagement in accordance with the rules of chivalry." The last statement was nearly spat with an anger and disappointment in the knight that betrayed the old and otherwise calm manner of the man's voice. "This shall be a battle till the death of either of the combatants, is this understood?"

"Yes Father." Sir Paol stated first, looking down on Astrid and trying to find out why the boy that had challenged him looked somewhat different than yesterday. The face was more triangular and less freckled than he remembered, but was he even remembering correctly? There had been such a celebration of his victory yesterday against a far more worthy opponent and such a great deal of alcohol consumed that memory was failing him. The challenger _seemed_ the same mostly. He was the same height, same hair color, same small and feminine looking arms that looked as weak as freshly fallen twig. How he held that axe was a mystery in itself.

"Yes Father." Came from Astrid, working her best impression of Hiccup and keeping serious eyes locked upon the Breton. The knight didn't seem to find anything wrong with the affirmation and instead chuckled once more at what was perceived as the challenger's regular and borderline annoying voice. She didn't care what he said, she had him down perfectly and was going to now use this whenever she could-there was humor to be found in it after all.

"With that said…" The priest took the pine branch and flicked it towards both warriors, sending droplets of water onto the both of them whilst uttering something in a language totally foreign to Astrid. Sir Paol seemed more familiar with a ritual such as this and made a sign over his body, one that Astrid recognized from Father Liam and that she quickly replicated over herself-not intent to let this match be sidetracked by her differences in divinities than her opponent. "…you are absolved of your sins, may God have mercy upon the soul of the vanquished and guide the hands of the righteous."

The priest walked back to his place in the crowd. Sir Paol brought his sword up to his shoulder in a move preparing to strike forward. Astrid raised her axe in a similar fashion, quickly running through Sir Godefroy's training and hoping that his spirit was with her as her heart pumped quickly and fingers felt the annoying chill of fear and determination. The knight did not make a move yet, and Astrid waited for the signal to strike. She looked to the priest, who raised his book above his head with a saddened face that revealed his inner disdain for violence.

"God be with you…begin!"

"Saint Denis!" Astrid began at the very moment the priest had stopped, lunging forward with her axe quick enough so as to catch the Breton off guard for a brief instant. She invoked a name Godefroy had used so often around her, and whoever this Denis was Astrid was hoping that he was with her as she followed up the swing with a lunge of the spear-tip, sending Paol back another few steps before he could recover.

"Impressive, but not enough boy!" Paol came forward with a downward swing that nearly collided with Astrid's skull if not for a quick step backwards. The Breton fought with barbaric ferocity that Astrid had been so familiar with, yet with far more strength than she could ever hope to find within herself-putting even her and Hiccup's fathers to shame with the wild abandon and intimidating displays of strength that came with each flex of the muscles beneath his mail shirt. He came forward for her again, recovering from such a powerful blow quickly and charging at her with another swing from the side. She ducked from the blade and let it pass over her head with a whoosh of air. She stabbed her axe forward, catching the blade between the spear point and the shaft and pushing upward, finding a great resistance as Paol stood firm and struggled for every movement of his captured blade.

"Grrrrr…." Came from Sir Paol as he began to push Astrid's axe back and wiggling the blade. In one quick movement he withdrew his sword and fell back before lunging forward again with great speed in an attempt to run Astrid through. She deflected the attack with the axe shaft and instead tried to push the knight back by thrusting the butt of the weapon at his chest. While she could feel him retracting at the sharp jabs, the chainmail kept him protected from too much damage.

As Sir Paol fell back from the strikes but brought his sword in a defensive manner, she withdrew from her current position and took a long breath to regain her composure. The Breton tightened the grip on his sword and organized himself after the strikes from the shaft. The villagers stood quiet at the furious clashes of steel and rapid movements of two warriors separated by generations but no less equals in their craft.

Hiccup's heart refused to steady throughout the entire ordeal. Every time Sir Paol's sword came anywhere near Astrid he felt as though his legs were going to give out from under him, only to have some life altering cataclysm avoided by her good footwork and always appreciated skills at matters that were so well beyond the boy. She was an impressive specimen of humanity and her gender in combat, a perfect tool of war as raised by her father and a perfect instrument of skill as toned by Sir Godefroy. A majestic person of love that could fight with the same skill as one totally dedicated to hatred and aggression. No matter her form or what she was doing she had some aura of perfection around her, fulfilling a role that had been given to her by forces of both this world and the next. Even as a boy she was enchanting, he would even say attractive. A boy he wouldn't mind kissing, wouldn't mind pinning against a wall and pulling down the trousers of to reveal his-"Not the time." He shook his head, knowing that these were matters that could wait until he was in a more private setting. He instead focused back on the duel, still as lively and adrenaline rush inducing as ever.

Sir Paol lunged forward again with a fierce war cry, coming at Astrid with a straight downward swipe. She tried to absorb it by holding her axe shaft against it, but found the Breton's strength too overpowering. The blade came close to her head as her arms buckled under the force placed upon the shaft, the blade making an incision into the wood that-were the blade itself that of an axe-have smashed right through it. She gathered her strength and pushed the blade back and leaped away. Realizing that speed _had_ to be her special weapon in this duel she did not take a moment's rest and leaped forward at the knight, taking a fierce swing at him. The Breton managed to dodge the attack, but as Astrid's axe went towards the ground she summoned her strength and brought it right back up, keeping Sir Paol moving.

"Tough one you are…" Paol muttered as he tried to grip his sword in both hands and swing at Astrid. Countering, Astrid took a risky move and instead of blocking simply maneuvered her head out of the way and stabbed forward with her axe. She smirked at seeing the surprise writ on Sir Paol's face as the spear-point struck at his chainmail, managing to pierce through the rings slightly and drawing some blood as the knight withdrew in pain.

"Tougher than you." She gloated as she let him recover. She knew it wasn't the most practical of things to grant an enemy time to recover after landing what could have been the beginning of the finishing moves, but weeks in Sir Godefroy's tutelage had ingrained in her this new sense of honor even if her opponent was a man that did not seem to believe in such things. If her teacher was dead, someone at least had to keep his beliefs alive. The knight was panting as red began to stain the white tunic beneath his chainmail, but approached once more with sword firmly in grip and determined expression upon his face.

" Oh you'll pay for that you little bastard!" His walk turned into a dash, the plates of his leg armor rattling loudly as he charged her. Keeping her calm despite the circumstances, Astrid prepared for the attack.

"There is an art to this after all…" She whispered as she began her movements. Sir Paol lunged towards her quickly, but with the speed and agility that blesses all youth she side stepped him and moved her axe in front of him, catching his leg and tripping him up, sending him to the ground with a heavy thud. He tried to turn himself over and get back up, but the strain of his earlier wound and Astrid's next move kept him trapped. Seeing his sword still in one of his hands, she took her chance and swung her axe down, cleaving the fingers right off and drawing a dark and primal scream out of the Breton that echoed on the nearby buildings.

Astrid could see the shock on the Breton retinue, most of all Sir Conan whose jaw was open and quivering at the sight of his no doubt idolized father. The villagers took a collective step back at the sound as Sir Paol tried to push himself up to grab at Astrid and drag his opponent down at whatever the cost. Instead, Astrid smashed a foot against his chest-upon the area that she had caused her first wound- and drove her heel in as much as she could. Swinging the spear tip of her axe over his face to chase the other hand away she pressed her entire body weight into the man, bringing a painful groan out of him as she took her weapon in both hands and leaned in against her shoulder.

"Did you know a wise man once told me that there is no point in taking a life that is not worthy of being taken?"

"Oh?" Sir Paol was coughing with the strain on his chest and his body shaking at the strain of his severed hand-blood spurting from the stub of his arm with every few heartbeats.

"Yeah..." She smiled as she began to raise her axe above her head. "Bet you wish you were worth something right now don't you?" Before Sir Paol could even utter some manner of defense or plea Astrid brought the axe down against his face, cutting straight through the bone and cleaving the head in half. The sound of the splattering blood and split brain hung over the silent village for a long moment, villager and Breton looking on the sight with relief and terror respectively. None moved to speak as Astrid withdrew her weapon from the collapsed cranium of the Breton and stabbed the bloodied blade into the ground, drawing a long breath in realization that it was over, the duel won and her life spared.

"Pa…pa…papa?" The whimper could be heard from Sir Conan as whispers began to drift into conversation and exclamations of joy and shock among the assembled parties. The priest began to walk forward, branch laid down on the ground and now holding only his black book. He took a kneel before the butchered body of Sir Paol and said something more in the foreign tongue that defied Astrid's ears, making the same sign that Sir Paol had made over himself upon receiving the water from the branch earlier. With strained and aging bones he pushed himself up and stepped over to Astrid. He took a moment to look her over, suspecting something strange in the body before him. Whether or not he saw through the ruse or even cared about the deceit used to bring about victory was a great fear for both Astrid and observing Hiccup in that moment, but the smile of the old man calmed their fears as he took Astrid's hand and brought it over the girl's head.

"By the grace of God! Harold of Paris is the victor this day! Let it be known by all that Sir Paol of Vannes is defeated and dead! Per the conditions of the agreement arrived at yesterday, this village is declared protected from the pillaging desired by the vanquished! _Dieu le veut!_"

The villagers now broke into a furious uproar of applause and cheer as their safety was proclaimed, the Bretons hanging their heads low and eyeing their swords, temporarily stymied in their need for blunder and blood and lacking the honor to chase such thoughts from their minds. The priest set Astrid's arm down and smiled as he eyed her chest, no doubt in some way seeing through the disguise but guaranteeing with his appearance that such a lie could be forgiven in the eyes of his God. The Breton banner still waved high in the air above the retinue, the lone element of the group that still seemed in good spirits as the knights turned to each other in dismay. Sir Conan began to walk forward to see the body of his fallen father more clearly.

Quickly deciding that letting the son see Astrid and perhaps by some great feat of memory realize the ruse would spell nothing but trouble, Astrid turned and brought herself and her axe back to a waiting Hiccup-whom she had decided did not look too great as a blonde, his natural hair color was by far the more attractive of the two. Overall though he made a nice little girl and one that kissed just as well as the boy she knew lay beneath hair dye and her clothes. She considered herself just as much an attractive boy, thanking her rather muscular build considering her true gender and rather stern face. Not that she would ever wish to abandon who she was, but there was an amusement to be had in flirting with what she might very well have come out of her mother as-perhaps her father would have even preferred it.

She dropped her axe as she approached Hiccup, not even talking as she embraced him and held him close, the boy returning the act and holding on tightly to a loved one that had with superior footwork and agility won the always difficult dance with death. Repressed breasts came into contact with fake ones, likewise with sexes and causing an awkward sensation among the two of them that brought out only laughter. Hiccup pulled away for a moment as he lowered Astrid's chin to a level with his own-he was slowly catching up on her in height, but still had a ways to go.

He brought her in for a kiss, and never knew that kissing himself could be so pleasurable. Astrid would probably be the only boy he'd ever kiss, and-despite what dark and blatantly pleasure seeking portions of his mind wanted to imagine- he suspected that he would be the only girl Astrid would ever kiss. This fact if anything made this brief moment all the sweeter, this rare instance where they could at least pretend to know what they were like from the other side. Astrid pulled away from the kiss for air, still taking deep breaths to recover from the stress of battle but smiling at the touch of Hiccup's lips and the sense of victory that danced within her heart.

"I love you Hiccup.

"I love you too…me."

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

**Hello Peoples!**

**Glorious victory for Harold of Paris, whoever he is! We're keeping right on schedule here and I intend to keep it that way. Figured this was a nice chapter for you all. I'd been meaning to get back to some more stuff on Berk for a while now, finally got around to it this time and intend to return there a few more times in the next couple of chapters as well as focus more on the other story arcs. Don't worry though, there is plenty more Hiccstrid to come as our couple return to their regular genders and the interior of France becomes theirs to explore. There's a lot of story arcs to develop here, so I'm trying to balance it all out evenly and hope I'm doing a good job of it.**

**Much thanks to my glorious Beta "Writer for the Tylwyth Teg" for her usual and splendid work on this chapter. I have also gone back and fixed some of the French a few chapters back as requested by a reviewer and that I promised to do weeks ago-but life does get in the way of things. Hope you all liked this chapter and as always reviews, favorites, follows etc. are appreciated and serve as excellent motivation. With that said, stay tuned for next week and the next thrilling installment!**

**-Mc.**


	21. Sparks and Embers

The sound of a person's breath is indeed remarkable. In times of anger and fury the strained sound of air escaping the raging party can be an intimidating and memorable indicator of impending doom. In the midst of aerobic exercise it is the furious, desperate gulps of air taken in that speak volumes about a person's determination and physical strength. In the throes of love it is the short, frantic exhales of two human beings caught up in the oldest of mankind's pastimes that only makes each party more willing to engage in such an act.

In the darkness of this night however, it was only the slow and collected breaths of Hiccup and Astrid lying next to each other that filled the upper hall of a house that overlooked a small Norman town, draped in the dark teal of a summer night where the Sun has only retreated for a short time and would return soon enough to take its rightful place of dominance as fitting this time of year. Their eyes were trying to stay closed, but the giddiness of victory was keeping them awake, slowly trying to fritter away the darkness until fatigue could finally drag them beneath the shroud of slumber.

"So it's only on one side?"

"Yeah, it just changes every other month for some reason. It sucks, but I'm stuck with it until I'm old and infertile."

As per Astrid's promise much of this idle bedtime conversation had been dedicated to questions and answers, an effort to make good on her word made yesterday to have a more detailed discussion or the delicate matters of femininity and masculinity as had come up during the hair dying. Hiccup had started with his earlier points about the size of breasts, and from there it had gone to the more especially feminine aspects of Astrid's body, towards the oft under mentioned but no less important details for that time of each month when Astrid dreaded the thought of flying.

He'd had ideas, notions of this certain feature of women from what little his father had told him, from the other boys when they allowed him to talk, as well as hearsay from eavesdropping on adult conversations. But these were vague conceptions and included some falsehoods that Astrid laughed at, particularly the one that it was always happening and just got worst when the moon was fullest. Hiccup blamed Snotlout for that one, but then again his cousin had heard it from his father, Spitelout. Were all men this misinformed? Hiccup was cautious that nothing he knew was true at this point, not that Astrid was one to keep details from him.

"And this has been happening since how long?"

"Well I was twelve and half when they started, so more than four years now. Yeah, it sucks being a girl sometimes."

"Yeesh so that must…wait…aren't-aren't you…you're sixteen now right?" Hiccup's eyes were open at this point, doing away with the charade of trying to find rest and leaning on his arm to face Astrid, who sensed his movements on the bed and did the same so that the two faced each other eye to eye in the dim moonlight provided by the high windows.

"Yeah. Second say of _Harpa_."

"Oh gods! Damnit I completely…why didn't you tell me when it happened! I totally forgot and we could have-"

"Hiccup…Hiccup it's okay. I forgot about yours too didn't I? What is it…_Gói_…"

"The seventeenth day of _Gói_. But that's at least understandable, I mean it's not like my dad tended to celebrate it much anyways…"

Astrid's eyes narrowed as a gesture of sympathy as she slid closer to him beneath the single wool blanket that was only pulled up to their legs, it being too warm on nights like this for it to be up any further. "Hiccup…"

"Yeah…pretty much from when I started failing at physical training they became less and less of a thing to celebrate. I mean of course there'd still be some sweet pastry…but by fourteen he just sort of the put them on the table after dinner and told me to enjoy them because they were expensive to make. To be honest, it's kind of demoralizing when nobody wants to celebrate the day you were born, sort of makes you feel…not alive I guess?"

"Oh…" Astrid was quick to slide over the bed some more and take Hiccup in an embrace, giving a low and sad moan at hearing more stories of a time where she was part of an ensemble of hate directed towards this boy she now loved almost as much as life itself. It was a sad fact to hear, one that brought her own anecdotes of these ever important days in a child's life to mind.

"Hey…well if it's any consolation mine weren't too impressive either. I mean yeah my dad actually….well he cared about me he just…well it was always more of him being proud of what I was becoming instead of who I _was_. You know? Always talking about how we were going to make me better that year and how far I'd come in the year before, but never really concerned with what I wanted to do on that day or what I thought about things going forward. Just…for a day about me it never really was about _me_, rather his idea of what I was." She held him close as the boy said nothing for a moment, held in her grip in the pale silver light. Then, to her surprise she felt his body convulsing. She at first thought that he had been brought to tears, but upon pushing away found that it was instead a giggling. "What are you laughing at smart guy? You think this is funny?!"

"No! No!" Hiccup affirmed as he tried to meet her eyes and explain himself. "It's just…just we're both in the same boat here! My dad didn't like how I was then, yours was always trying to make you better…gods we're pathetic!"

It was an apt enough confession for Astrid to take him in a hold once more as she cracked a smile, realizing that this was in fact a fascinating similarity between the two that she had never had the opportunity to explore. Contemplation of this fact did bring up one fact that she was now finally remembering after years of willing ignorance.

"Hey…if you were born in _Gói_…and I was-we're both sixteen now…you're-you're older than me aren't you?"

Hiccup backed away as a smile grew on his face, spreading as the realization came to him as it had to Astrid. "Huh…yeah now that you mention it I am aren't I? Guess I'd forgotten about that too but now…yeah I _am_ older than you! Awesome!"

It was now Astrid's turn to laugh as she lowered her head as a low and raspy chuckle came over her body. Her laughter was devoid of air and came out as dry snickers that persisted until Hiccup could get an answer out of her.

"What?"

"It's just-it's just your even a month and a half older than me and you're still so small! It's just funny like that!" She regained her composure after the brief instance of laughter and leaned back on her arm, she and Hiccup once again in the same position, staring at each other across a beam of silver that divided them with nothing more solid than the frail shell of light.

"Well…I mean I am getting closer to you. I'm catching up. My dad said my mom was a late grower, so that's probably it."

"Yep. Yep that's definitely it. I believe you." Astrid let out one more laugh. Hiccup merely rolled his eyes as quiet pervaded between the two of them, all that could be heard was the sound of the other's breath and the occasionally creak from the roof where Toothless slept.

"Well then, regardless I guess I should wish you a happy birthday regardless."

"Sure, and a happy birthday to you too." They closed for a kiss, brief for the moment, they had done plenty following Astrid's victory earlier that day as they had retreated back to the house and spent the day dressing back in their regular clothes-not washing out the dye just yet for fear of some other event involving it coming up tomorrow. Hiccup's blond shown in the moonlight, Astrid's auburn-brown melded into the darkness. Their breath passed between them as they broke apart, still with plenty of energy and no intent to play the charade of closed eyes while there still existed so much to talk about.

"So…speaking of growing…" Astrid started, an embarrassment tarnishing her tone. "I was really uncomfortable today wearing all that stuff down-down _there_. How do you guys deal with that? I mean-it's so uncomfortable just to _pretend_ it's there, what is-I mean what's it like to actually have one?"

"Well…" Hiccup began, giving a long exhale and pursing his lips at the awkward question. "It's…well we get used to it because we have to live with it every day but it's-well it's sort of like we have to be careful whenever we're being too rough in the event we're doing arduous work and we like to keep that area clear of anything too bad when-"

"Yeah yeah it sucks when you get hit there I know that but…well…" Astrid nervously averted her eyes from Hiccup for a moment before looking back to give her true question, as embarrassing as her desire to know was to her."It-it _grows_ right? When you're aroused?"

"Uh…"

"I mean I'm sure _you_ know that _I_ know that I can feel it when it's…_big_ when you're asleep sometimes. What's-what's that like?"

Hiccup stalled a moment, trying to decide whether blushing, cowardice or hysterical laughter would be the correct way to show embarrassment at a question such as this. Astrid's very mention of that delicate issue of his body's insistence of rendering him aroused in the depths of sleep was an awkward moment enough. Then again Astrid had been more than willing to disclose on some of the more gritty details of her gender's own distinct anatomy, did fairness not command he be as open?

"Uh…well-well it's like…the whole area always feel too constrictive when we're wearing clothes and it's the only thing we can really think about. It's all about dealing with it somehow. You can either let it run its course and just appreciate it, or you can try to take your mind off of it by doing some task or thinking about something plain or even uncomfortable and that gets rid of it. That or you-well there are other ways that you can deal with it but uh…those are the big two."

"Huh. So it's just an annoyance?"

"No! No they are-it's a good thing when they're firm it's just-well sometimes they can happen at awkward moments…like when we're sleeping…"

"Ahahaha…" Astrid chuckled at Hiccup's embarrassed conclusion to the sentence before giving him a light push back in amusement. "Oh relax! I know you're asleep when they happen, not your fault. They're annoying sometimes, but I know that it's something that has to be dealt with if I'm going to sleep next to you."

"Oh…well then thank you. Sorry again it's just-"

"Don't be sorry! I told you I know they aren't voluntarily. Besides…it's sort of interesting to feel."

Hiccup's breath stalled in his lungs a moment, his mind too in shock to be bothered with such trivial tasks as breathing or thought. Astrid kept quiet this time, staring him down with a coy and amused expression."Oh-you-"

"Well…" Astrid leaned her head close to his, their hair close as the warmth of their bodies began to be felt by the other in the moment. "It's just interesting to feel that in the night and know that it's a part of you. Plus I've started to like thinking that whenever you have them, you're thinking of me. Do you-you dream of me right?"

Hiccup took a moment to gather himself, still awestruck at the conversation he was having. "Well-well of course. Some nights I don't and that makes me sad but when I do-when I do it's great. You-you dream of me too?" He asked nervously, wondering what strange territory of mental desire lay ahead.

"Mmh…" She closed her lips to his, spreading them apart and seeking the wetness beneath their dry exterior, meeting only a temporary barrier that was his teeth before they parted to grant her further access, to render his mouth more malleable as she pushed inward and drew her lips closer. "Does that answer the question?"

"Yes-yes it does." He whispered as he made the advance this time, closing in as hot breath passed by her cheek. The hall remained as silent as death but held within a distinctly youthful energy that was revealed not in words but in the subtle sounds of small movements on the sheets and the different breaths given by both parties. He drew away only barely to take a breath as he looked into the faint outlines of her blue eyes in the pale silver. "What do-what do you dream about?" He closed in again, this time taking his right arm and cupping it around to the back of her head, where her hair may have been his own shade but was still as luxurious to touch as the most exotic fabrics.

Astrid took her own arm and pressed it into his back, collapsing onto her own and dragging him with her so that he lay on top of him. She took the lead now and went to lay a series of kisses upon his neck, going down before ascending back to his right ear, where a single kiss to the lobe was followed by a flirtation of the tongue against the lower cartilage. She wasn't sure if that was considered erotic or not, but the moan from the back of his throat was approval enough for her as she began to run through her register of remembered fantasies that freely came to her from out of the dark canvas of sleep upon which anything may be painted.

"Well, much like now you start of shirtless. You know you have a really sexy chest? Anyway you're…" She positioned him, finding that the boy was mere clay in her hands so that his slender body was positioned between her thighs, his face looking down upon hers in an almost amusing state of pure bliss. "…you're just like that and we're someplace nice-I actually dreamed it was this bed once."

"Oh yeah?" Hiccup closed in and reciprocated Astrid's kisses to the neck, closing down towards her chest that was hidden beneath her increasingly small light blue tunic that she now only slept it, preferring not to expose her naval anywhere but around Hiccup. He began to work his way down towards the bottom of her neck to the border of her cleavage. "And then-and then what? What are we doing in those dreams?"

Astrid gripped one of his hands and dragged it under her tunic and back up the breasts that she knew the boy craved to feel. Not that she was surprised, she considered them among the more aesthetically pleasing aspects of her body and a part that she now had no problem with the boy touching since that first frantic episode of groping before the confessions of mutual love. "Oh in those dreams we're-oh yes keep it right there-we're just like this and then-and then I-" She reached an arm down towards his groin, finding a firmament that quivered at the slightest brush of her fingers over the area.

"Ah…Astrid you-"

"I grab this Hiccup. And I like the feel of it like this. It feels pretty impressive…"

Hiccup broke from his torrent of kisses and floated back up towards her face, looking deeply into her eyes as a flood of emotion swamped his mind. "Astrid I-are you-do you want-" He was stopped as Astrid's hand further stroked the exterior of his painfully held back manhood. Her palm worked over the bulge in his fabric slowly, feeling at this special object that lay beneath.

"Oh yeah…mmh that's nice. It feels so different touching it with my hand instead of just with my ass…"

"Oh yeah-yes your hand it-it feels much different than your ass…not that your ass isn't nice of course." He whispered to her before moving back to her lips and pushing his tongue in, finding no impediment to his desire as she let herself go, willing to embark to places that she had increasingly been contemplating in the recent weeks and felt compelled on a wave of euphoria to strive for. She pushed forward onto him, clasping at the bulge that was his manhood and drawing a low but nasal moan out of him that would delight her if she could hear it again.

"Yeah? You like my ass?"

"Oh yeah…" Hiccup's hand fell away from her breasts and slid down her back, aiming for the object of their conversation. He treaded slowly at first but soon crept below her waistline, finding the crevice and tracing his fingers halfway down, not risking going further than he had already been allowed. He took a firm hold of one of the cheeks and heard a low, gasping breath escape from the bottom of her throat that appealed to the darkest, most primordial parts of his brain that wanted that kind of breath inside him. Her grip around his manhood even in such a chaste state was driving him wild with desire, sending signals to his brain that could never be stopped and analyzed but were instead regularly embraced as the call went out for more without end.

"I-I-Hiccup I just-gods I want you right now."

"Mmh I want you too Astrid, you know I want you…just…oh yes I-"

_::Hiccup! Astrid! Get outside right now! We have a situation!::_

A low and deep voice that was tight with worry and anticipation entered both of their minds. Like a sudden plunge into arctic waters it dragged both of them out of the delirious haze of rapturous joy that they had worked themselves into in the last few moments of fondling. Their eyes met, no longer filled with lust but with a disappointment that the thin veil of joy that falls around every couple working their way into the ritual of lovemaking that separates them from all perceptions of time and space. Even with her hand feeling this mysterious length beneath his pants, Astrid could detect the beginnings of a retraction of that part of Hiccup that had brought about such a woefully cut short experience.

"Well…I mean if he says we have to get out there…" Hiccup gushed out with a deflated and defeated voice, one that communicated to Astrid his equal disappointment at being denied an eager rush into physical places so long desired.

"Yeah…guess we better see what's going on." Astrid muttered as she slid out from beneath Hiccup, removing herself from his hold and quickly missing the feel of his fingers gripping one of her breasts. He really did have interesting fingers, ones that were indeed broader than hers considering his gender but that had become slimmer and more fitting of artists than those of the blacksmith he had been. She appreciated this development, finding the softer skin was a better fit for the more delicate skin around her nipples especially.

Hiccup followed her out of the bed, grabbing his shirt in the moonlight and catching up with her quickly, taking her hand at an attempt to retain some degree of intimacy as they escorted the other down the dark stairs. They walked outside into the night, illuminated by a strong moon and a brightly shining cascade of stars that spanned across the dark teal sky. They heard a quick swooshing sound coming from the roof and found two bright green eyes peering at them through the darkness, the moon and stars only barely managing to separate Toothless' body from the rest of the night.

_::Can you see it?::_

"See what?" Hiccup asked as he and Astrid's attention was drawn to a warm orange glow near the ocean that provided a new source of light in the teal. Both humans quickly began to grow suspicious of the glow that they could identify easily enough from many a chaotic raid back on Berk.

_::Walk to where you can better see the fire, you shall see its true extent.::_

Alerted by the word "fire", the two Vikings were quick to walk to the crest of the hill, finding that the magnitude of the blaze's aura increased dramatically. Toothless followed them and took a seat behind them as they stood in awe of the crimson haze that rose from beneath the hill.

The village had gone up in an inferno that stretched from one edge to another. Scarlet and orange rose up to the sky as houses and huts crumbled under a powerful blaze. The soft glow of destruction left both humans in shock for a moment as it rose into the quiet darkness, the wind carrying the ashes of that which had already totally succumbed to the inferno into the sky to fall where they may in the more distant serenity of the darkness.

"Wh-wh-what…" Hiccup muttered for lack of anything more substantial to say. His fingers reached for Astrid's once more as the bright haze imprinted itself upon their minds. Toothless' breath, warm and consistent blew against his hair and spoke to the less easy to startle and composed psyche that interpreted these events in a different filter than any human.

_::I had been asleep until I first detected the scent of the smoke that had roused me from blank dreams. It would appear to me that the whole village is alight. If I had seen it this way earlier I would have alerted you earlier of course, but I had put myself into a very deep slumber. The anxiety of awaiting your victorious return earlier today made me quite fatigued after all.::_

The attention of all was then quickly diverted by screams from the village that echoed up the hill, heard better by Toothless' more powerful ears but still strong enough to be detected by the humans. It was a feminine shrill of pain and anguish of the kind that burrows deep into the soul and refuses to leave no matter how much one wills it.

"What-what about your eyes Toothless? Can you see anything down there that we can't?" Astrid asked, awestruck by the envelopment of everything they had known for the last month and a half by the fire, the indiscriminate destroyer that took everything no matter importance or connection.

_::Yes, I do see a group of men going about this blaze. They wear white garments and are throwing torches upon that which has not yet gone up in the blaze. They also appear to be going about the usual efforts of pillaging that I have witnessed throughout my time observing your species. Steel is being used without much care for who it is being used upon.::_

Neither Hiccup nor Astrid was sure whose hand was tightening more in their mutual grip with fury. Both witnessed a slaughter of innocent life, one that Hiccup had worked to save from obscurity with his set of skills while Astrid had fought in their name with her own. Fury and a myriad of desired actions rushed through their collected minds at the sight, so simply yet tragically described by the dragon and the benefits of his large eyes.

"Bastards…worthless bastards…" Astrid was nearly grinding her teeth with rage."Godefroy…now this I…bastards."

"We have to-I mean we have to do something don't we?" Hiccup inquired, heart flush with empathy to the plight of being caught in the midst of a village set ablaze-a situation both he and Astrid knew all too well, albeit it from the will of dragons instead of the cruel hand of man.

_::I hardly see what I can assist you with. Need I remind you that I project fire, not water? From what you have told me there is a sizeable number of these Bretons here yes? Were any of us to attempt to engage such a large number I feel that we would be putting ourselves in the way of harm and risking great injury ourselves. I would not want to see any of us injured, and thus despite the dishonorable actions I see before me I must advise we not get involved in this.::_

"What?!" Astrid nearly screamed at Toothless for his calm apathy on the matter, furious in a way the dragon did not comprehend now that his argument-self perceived as the only correct one-was presented. "And after all this village has done for us you want to just leave them to these traitorous bastards?! Are you serious?!" She broke from Hiccup's hand and presented her entire front to the dragon, a body that had only shortly before been stimulated by want of intimacy now filled with a new and more aggressive emotion.

_::And do you believe it in our best interests to risk all that we have in a futile attempt to protect a small amount of the people within this village considering that many are probably already dead? What purpose does a futile fight against such a capable group of opponents have to do with us?::_

"And what, just leave them to this?! Those bastards are acting disgracefully and are being evil, doesn't that matter to you Toothless!?"

_:: Of course it matters, but not all things that matter necessarily warrant intervention. We must accept that there is nothing we can do for these people in this moment. I shall agree that it is a pity what I see before me, but would you rather any of us become injured and force ourselves to wallow in further pity for the sake of a futile gesture of solidarity?::_

Astrid was caught in silence a moment, filled with rage but stymied by more practical considerations. Yes she wanted to go and save this village once again, but the dragon made fair points on the futility of her desires when they were applied to the current circumstances.

"Well Toothless how would you feel if they were dragons that were being killed down there? Wouldn't you want to save them?" Hiccup raised the question in the hopes of defeating logic with his strong sense of morality that he felt now had an opportunity to trump the beast's usually insurmountable arguments.

_::Only if they were my kind, which they are not. They are not integral to our survival and if they are gone and we may go on living without them. It is better for us-individuals that we know have some purpose for us moving forward-to live and not jeopardize ourselves in a pointless struggle such as this.::_

"But-"

_::And if you are going to argue that such a pointless gesture may in fact be a part of our supposed destiny then I shall inform you that destiny is only those situations that cannot be avoided. This most certainly can be avoided, and therefore we should not foolishly rush into it thinking that it is in fact fate at work.::_

Both humans stood in silence as the blaze continued in the distance, the low rumbles of cracking wood and collapsing houses filling the night with a soft song of destruction. They felt an inner sorrow at seeing a people that had welcomed the two of them -and secretly their dragon- with open arms and gratefulness now put down by fire and sword. At the same time, there was a sense of futility in going into such a fight, to try and dissuade and defeat a group that clearly had so few scruples about their own honor that they willingly ignored the rules and agreements of combat that Astrid had come to know so recently. It was a depressing reality, but such a feeling is common in difficult situations such of the like.

"Well…" Hiccup murmured as he looked to the orange glow of annihilation, disappointed but acknowledging Toothless' points. "Guess…guess this is it then."

"Yeah…" Astrid sighed, seeing in Hiccup an acceptance of reality as grim as it was.

_::I would advise we make ready for movement, I do not doubt that the Bretons will discover this house soon enough and then we may indeed have to fight. I shall be here awaiting the saddle, but please go easy on the clothing, it becomes heavy very quickly.::_

Toothless whirled around back to the house, tail swinging around like a silent whip in the darkness. Astrid drew close to Hiccup, her face shining in the corona of light caused by the nearby destruction. "I don't like it either, but what are we going to do?"

"Guess there's nothing we can…but it was good while it lasted. I mean we did a lot while we were here, been a good time. Shame it has to end this way, but…"

"I know." Astrid embraced him, both for her own sake and his as the accepted the destruction before them, stripping away a pleasant episode in their lives and leaving them once again vagabonds to the world. At least now they could consider themselves better trained and prepared for whatever lay ahead, their skills and love incubated in the protection of summer and ready to go on with them in the process of life. "So…where do we go now?" She asked as she broke to look into his face, glowing with the nearby blaze and neutral shine of the moon.

"I don't know…" He sighed as he looked one more time upon the burning remains of a place that he had actually started to consider his new home. "Guess wherever the wind takes us."

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Stoick's breathing is low and for a reason. He takes soft and long inhales of air as he slowly moves among the tress, making his way from trunk to trunk as his eyes scan around. An arrow is drawn and rests on his bow, ready to strike at a moment's notice. His fingers are growing slick with sweat in the summer heat, but the hunt continues-he's put this off long enough and knows that the elderly of the village need some meat for the next week. Responsibilities to others could sometimes be a bother, but the chief had learned to ignore his own discomfort for the sake of others-such was the sacrifice for his mantle of authority.

The droning of insects and intermittent chatter of birds were the music by which he hunted, the drone of the forest that alone decides whether or not to decide to bestow its bounty upon the man that seeks it. Small shafts of light penetrated the canopy of evergreen and deciduous trees and cast brilliant gold upon the lively green in which he skulked. His chest rose steadily as he tried to become as silent as possible, his footfalls attempting to be as soft as possible so as to disguise his very presence in this home of his prey.

A small click-the snapping of a twig- drew his attention to left beyond the cover of some bush and hanging vines. Sensing that his opportunity had come, he made slow steps in that direction, crouching low to the ground as his finger tightly gripped the shaft of his arrow, knowing that with the few he'd brought with him for the sake of light travel that he had to make each one count in taking down some manner of prey. He slid down towards a small clearing in the brush and peeked through.

A deer, sporting a coat of dark crimson that would have blended in with an autumn environment much better than the current one of green chewed on a broad leafed plant, unaware to the man's presence. Its bulbous black eyes kept close to the ground as it ripped apart the leaf and gnawed slowly on it. Such slow mastication was a good sign for Stoick that this could be an easy kill. He prepared himself to take the strike, slowly pulling back on the drawstring of the bow and maneuvering his arms into the proper position to loose the arrow.

He mumbled a prayer to the gods, thanking them for this blessing of food as he eyed the lowered neck of the creature, the perfect spot to strike and make a quick kill with minimal suffering. He began to raise himself up, pulling the string the full way back and prepared to loose. His foot however felt that this would be the appropriate moment to slip on the fallen leaves, rustling them as his aim faltered. The fawn looked up and stood still a moment, black orbs staring at the hunter who had slipped up in this one decisive effort. In the space of a breath the prey turned on all four legs and began to bound towards the trees in quick leaps.

"Oh no you don't!"

Stoick yelled, knowing that there was no need for secrecy anymore. He took aim and loosed the arrow, but found that it struck a tree that the deer passed behind-a failure of his aim in leading the target. He went to draw another arrow from his small quiver, but found that by the time he could even begin to extract the missile his prey had already vanished into the brush. With a low sigh he took his time in readying the next arrow, walking forward to where it had vanished in a defeated trudge. He wanted to summon the energy to rush after it, to pursue this game down until it was exhausted and maybe even get to go in with the knife and wrestle it down the old fashioned way. Instead the heat had sucked away his strength, sapping his conviction and usual energy of hunting in the slow, dreary haze of a summer afternoon.

He pulled the arrow he had wasted out of the trunk of the tree with a strong tug, finding that his shot had been formidable enough and if it had hit the deer would have certainly killed it. He placed the used missile back in his quiver and stepped forward into the brush, caring not for subtlety as he knew that the recent episode would have scared off any nearby game that could otherwise be pursued. Thick vines and green leafed plants attempted to obstruct him, but there some elements of the supposedly all powerful Mother Nature that simply did not have the strength to subdue such a powerful Viking frame.

As the chief steadied his bow, questions as to his miss floated into his mind. His entire body felt filled with a haziness, a lack of enthusiasm or energy that was not simply the result of powerful sunlight or the vortex of summer warmth that surrounded him. There was a fog on his mind, a veil upon his conscious that had been persisting in the few passing weeks since his confrontation with Haldor. He had seen little of the man in that time asides from passing glances or the occasional spotting from afar-his cries of grief could still be heard in the small hours of the night however.

His foot slipped again, sending his entire body into disarray he dipped forward and tried to regain his composure. This was not turning out to be a good day, hadn't been since he'd smashed his elbow against a wall in one of the first tired moments of waking life that morning.

"Come on…" He muttered, shaking his head at the circumstances of life itself. As he righted himself, his peripheral vision did catch something that drew his attention. It was neither prey nor anything of substance, but a strong beam of light that shone in from behind two rocks. In shame by his failure to shoot the earlier fawn Stoick decided that he might as well take a chance to explore-he had time to kill and needed a break from the stresses of the pursuit. He walked towards the light, tightening up his figure between the two rocks and stepping under a large outgrown root. Though the tight walls of rock squeezed him tightly, he passed through them and stepping out on to a stone perch.

He looked out on a cove, totally isolated from the rest of the forest by high stone walls on the top of which he determined himself to stand. In the center was a small pond, from which exited a small stream that dived under some of the rock and no doubt would be going towards the larger streams that ran through the island and emptied into the ocean. Long and thick vines that clearly had decades if not more to develop clung to the walls, appearing as strong as the finest naval ropes. Birds chirped in the serenity of this place, the pond shining in the powerful sunlight and insects still droning on. It was a sanctuary of nature within nature itself, a separate enclave of peace and seclusion in which the cares and worries of chiefly responsibilities might be for a short time forgotten in the need to explore.

_Wait…I remember this place…_

Memories did begin to slowly fade into Stoick's conscious, of warm summer days like this one when he and his cousin Spitelout would rampage across the island, seeking escape from chores in hot houses and amusement to pass the brief and hot summer. They had been nine when they had found this place-seeking a refuge to devour some stolen pastry that had enticed them to theft with the intoxicating aroma of fresh honey. For a few years this place had served time and time again as their refuge from the wrath of elders for their mischief and to escape the increasing pressure for a coming of age boy like Stoick to take on more chiefly duties.

It had been decades since he visited this site-it was no small wonder that with the progression of the years he had forgotten about it. Everything still looked much the way he remembered it, as though this place were caught time, incapable of age and beyond such human concerns.

"Eh might as well…" Stoick figured that a trip to the past might do him some good. Eyeing the nearest vine he shouldered his bow and made to descend. He latched onto the woody surface and slid down, feeling a great strain in his fingers and in the knees that helped him grip to the vine, but bore the pain in the same way that a Viking suffers any other affliction. He jumped the last of the distance to the ground where the vine refused to go and stood up to find himself now within this chamber of natural solitude.

One need quickly made itself the most apparent to him, and that was the loss of water he had been suffering through in this heat. He eyed the small place where the stream ducked beneath the stone wall and led the waters of the pond out towards the rest of the island. Even if it wasn't the fastest running water it was still in motion, and the chief allowed himself a risky drink for a moment, bending his lips to the stream and finding the taste fresh enough to handle.

His thirst relieved, Stoick took in the view once more as he began to walk around the pond to the other side. There was something shiny that had caught his eye, and in interest in such an object propelled him forward. He found himself inserted to the bliss of childhood once more, recounting old conversations with his cousin about the various woes of growing up. From Spitelout's feuds of strength with Gobber, to taking days to unwind after a raid-Stoick had even confessed to his cousin of his early crush on Valka in this place. These walls had stored a great deal of memories for him, and such thoughts were now whispered into his ears as the glorious tales of better days, when youthful longings for a glorious and prosperous future had danced through his head.

Despite the passage of decades and gods know how many different assaults on the island this place seemed caught beyond the march of time and decay. It appeared that not a soul on the island had even found this place since Stoick had stopped coming here, a natural relic of his past waiting to absorb him back. Even a sloped rock upon which he had so often sat showed hardly any signs of weathering, still as firm and constant a place for his solitude as it had been all those years ago. He went to take a seat on it, but was drawn away by the shining object had originally brought him to this place.

It was the blade of a double sided axe, cast aside into the moss and around which a small patch of grass had begun to grow. As he went to inspect it, his peripheral vision caught a stack of other things in disarray nearby, clothes and other amenities of daily life among them. Considering such a thing strange he stooped to pick up the axe, pulling up the blade and with the handle in his grip having a single name force itself to the front of his conscious.

_Astrid._

This weapon had seldom left the girl's hands since she'd been gifted it at the age of thirteen when her father deemed her capable enough to wield it. The shaft was now showing cracks and weathering after being left to the elements for so long, the blade rusting at the edges and the once shining steel slowly succumbing to invasive auburn hue of decay. Stoick could almost feel his fingers tremble at holding this relic of a girl long gone, pondering what manner of reaction Haldor would have if he brought this back to the grieving patriarch.

Such frantic considerations were stopped for the moment as Stoick looked past the weapon to the ground again, upon which he saw several small black plates of a triangular nature. Keeping Astrid's axe in one hand he kneeled down again and picked up one of these strange objects, considering them at first to be some manner of odd rock. Instead they were of a surprisingly thin nature and all seemed of a consistent size and texture to each other. They had an appearance unlike any he had ever seen, but held a familiarity to other objects within his knowledge that began to worry him as he ran over what he now knew to be scales with his fingers.

This was it. This had to be the place where it had all gone down. It made perfect sense now that Stoick thought it through. High walls, water supply, hidden away from the rest of the island, it would have made the perfect place to commit heresy. After scouring the whole island for two days once Stoick and Gobber had found the letter this secluded cove had never crossed the chief's mind. Hiccup had lucked out in finding the dragon in this place, it was no small wonder he had never been discovered by anyone else except Astrid-who must have spent a great deal of time shadowing the boy to track him down to here.

Looking around, Stoick saw no remains of any nature-asides from a few small bones of fish, probably from Hiccup stealing reserves to feed the dragon-that would indicate that the girl had been hurt. There was always the possibility that Hiccup had thrown the body into the pond, but Stoick did not suspect that the boy had it in him to disrespect the girl's body in such a way. Glancing around once more at the high stone walls, Stoick grumbled that his once precious childhood hideout had been desecrated by his son's blasphemous actions. At the same time, there was an irony to be understood in both father and son using the same place to go about certain actions in secret. He could only imagine Astrid's surprise when she had found the boy on the night he had left. At the same time, such considerations also raised the question of why the girl had left her axe behind. She would never go anywhere without it, so if she did leave with the boy, why leave it behind to rot in the elements? She would never be willing to just abandon it by Hiccup's request. Had something happened to her to cause the abandonment of this weapon? This one item raised many questions, and lacking answers Stoick dropped it to the ground, stuffing the scale of the Night Fury into belt. He would have to show it to Gothi when he returned to consult with her and the gods about it.

He turned to the pile of various objects stacked at the opposite side of the large stone. After walking over he sat down next to them and started to pull them apart. All were possessions of Hiccup, and their abandonment perplexed Stoick. Items like the large blanket seemed like they would be useful for traveling to new places, so why was it left here? Rummaging through them Stoick lifted up one of the boy's shirts-a simple long sleeve of tunic of brown that had been made for him only a few months before he'd left. Stoick brought the tunic up to his nose and sniffed at it. While nature had certainly implanted its own aroma onto the fabric, there was a still a hint, a small trace of Hiccup's odor on the garment. Granted it was still the unpleasant odor of a boy undergoing puberty, but the familiarity to this scent struck at something within the chief that had been held back for a long time.

This was a remnant of his child, his only one. A boy that had sought the company of Berk's mortal enemy and found more acceptance from such a beast than from his own people so as to flee his home on the back of the creature. In doing so he had taken the upcoming generation's pride and joy whom had for whatever unknown reason complied in following him. This cove had become a sort of tomb, a relic of the last moments when two totally different people from the same tribe had been on this island before flying off to the edge of the world.

He'd done this. Stoick had driven his son away so much, had allowed him to be so ostracized from his own people and so desperate for recognition that he had turned to such drastic measures as these. His one and only son was gone, and Stoick began to feel the weight of a guilt that for so long had been carried by his shoulders seep down into his heart, and from there to his slowly watering eyes. Hiccup was gone; having left feeling unloved and unwanted by everybody around him including his own father. Yes Stoick hadn't exactly been the warmest or most accepting of the boy, but he'd always thought that Hiccup at least knew he was loved by virtue of being his son. The fact that he was different wasn't supposed to mean he was hated, but that had sadly been what had happened.

Haldor may have had a valid point that Stoick had caused Hiccup to befriend a fallen demon and as a result Astrid had been taken with him, but Stoick knew that this was a much deeper issue than this. It was not a failure of Stoick as a chief, but as a person. He was a person that had driven away this one son that he should have loved, should have protected against all threats for the simple reason of shared blood but had instead rejected and let be beaten down by a world that did not want him. Pulling the tunic back close to his face Stoick battled back tears of defeat, drops that were testament to a bitter concession of failure within him. It was a failure to protect Hiccup that had led to a failure to protect Astrid from his son's actions. He had failed as both a chief and a father, two realities that shook him to his core. All he now had left of two people that he had for different reasons still loved to have had in his life were a rusting weapon and a pile of his son's decaying belongings.

"Son…I'm so sorry…"

The tears tried to approach his eyes, and despite his usual resistance to such actions he found his vision blurring. He was gone. This remaining piece of Valka was alone out there, without the skills to properly defend or take care of himself. If Astrid were dead or separated from him he wouldn't last long, he was a delicate soul in as equally frail a body. Stoick had failed to truly prepare him for what the world was like, and now he was stuck in it, a young boy unprepared for the cold and unforgiving realities of the human race. Hiccup-his son-was probably out there cold and starving, perhaps captured by slave traders or dead in the middle of dark forest without proper burial. How could he allow his own flesh and blood to be out there like that? How could he have not cared enough to father him properly and show him the path to success? He tried to steady his head and push such dark thoughts away, to focus instead on where he was instead of where his son could be. There was nothing he could do now, and the ability to accept the many tragedies of life was a skill every chief had and could use well.

Buried within the clothes lay a leather book that Stoick reached for as he placed the shirt to his side. Hiccup's sketch journal that had been his gift for surviving fourteen years and that had been rather well protected from the elements beneath the pile of clothes. Much like Astrid's axe it was the best possession with which to identify the person, a symbol of his son that he had never had the opportunity to look at-his lack of care and Hiccup's protectiveness over the contents held within had ensured the protection of his creative thoughts from the father.

A quick flip through the pages revealed a fascinating mind, with images and writings of inventions and nature abounding on every page. Towards the end, Stoick found pages that outlined the Night Fury, sketching the demon that had forever been but an ethereal image in stories and giving vivid descriptions of it. The last few pages even held diagrams and drawings that put heavy focus on one of the tail wings of the beast, adding one of leather and iron that were a confirmation of what Hiccup had said in his letter about helping the creature fly again. If that were true, then it really did mean that the dragon had let Hiccup help it, and furthermore that what Hiccup had said about he and the dragon becoming friends was possibly true. Such thoughts were disturbing in their implications about what it would mean for the war and the next raid. There had been no Night Furies in the raids since Hiccup claimed to have shot one down, so he and the beast were clearly somewhere out there and far away. Astrid was probably still with them, gods only knew why and how she of all people would voluntarily stay with him. After all, if she had escaped him she would have certainly found her way back-Haldor had made that point very clear time and time again.

Closing the book Stoick knew that he had a great deal of reading to do in the days ahead, with one permanent relic of his son to now call his own. Eyeing Astrid's axe, he decided it best to not bring it back to the village. Haldor would not be consoled with such trinkets so long as the daughter he so desperately wanted back was still out there somewhere. He rose and looked for the old way out of the cove, and saw that it had been blocked with a shield. No doubt caused by his son, for what purpose-if any-Stoick could not determine. Tucking the journal into his belt he walked forward and smashed the shield apart, giving him a path to leave.

Turning back he gave a last look to the cove, a sanctuary for two different generations of boys for different purposes altogether. Not that the waters of the pond or the birds in the tress could care, they simply carried on in the secluded stretch of time that was property of this small place of serenity. Hidden within this spot were the last physical remains of bitter memories of failure and pain, of loss and desperation that hung in the air much like the haze in his mind. They were the same, this feeling of agony that memory and experience revealed to him in the warm, dizzying heat of summer. He took a long breath, letting some of his body heat flow out with it. He could think now, could focus not only on the hunt he still had to perform but on matters that could no longer be ignored, on feelings that were finally being allowed to manifest in the calm peace of long, hot days. Taking his leave, Stoick found his own piece of serenity within himself and offered prayer to the gods, his first directed towards other people in a long time.

"Keep them safe, please Odin keep them safe."

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

**Hello Peoples!**

**Came down to the wire but here we are, update as usual. I think you'll find the title fitting, I do at least. Yes it would appear that our Breton friends truly do lack honor and that our trio are back in the skies again. Where to now? You'll just have to stay tuned to find out. And what of back on Berk? What trials and tribulations of body and mind await those left behind? We are developing right on schedule and here's hoping you're still interested in this stupidly long story.**

**Much thanks as always to the wonderful "Writer for the Tylwyth Teg" for her input as Beta for this chapter. I do hope you enjoyed this installment and feel free to tell me what you think with a helpful review. I shall see you next week, stay tuned!**

**-Mc.**


	22. Peace, Love and Mercy

"Keep your eyes peeled lads! Icebergs up ahead so we've got to have at least a couple here! There's always a couple!"

In the few weeks he had known the man, Eret's only perception of Captain Asger was that he was a man firmly devoted to his job and only that. His every word dealt with the maintenance of this bloated ship that-while lacking in speed- was well protected from the elements and ideal for long voyages in open ocean. For several weeks Eret and the survivors of Drago's inspection had sailed back up the rivers that they had traveled down and had made their way across the Baltic Sea. Just two weeks ago they had passed beyond the straits of Zealand and were now sailing farther and farther North, away from the warm weather of the land of the Rus and spending day after day on the cold waters of the North Sea, in the vast oceanic wastes between the homeland of the Norse and Britannia.

During this time Eret had mostly been kept busy by his work as forced upon him by Captain Asger. The captain himself was a man weathered by foul experiences in these very waters from what Eret could understand. His short brown hair bore a white streak of skin from where he had been scarred by a dragon. A small, similar one descended from below his left eye towards his neck, and on the two occasions where the man had been shirtless in the warmer weather to the south, Eret saw plenty more scars upon both chest and back. The few veterans of the ship who had shown Eret and the other new conscripts around and given them their stations told tales of the man's bravery when it came to apprehending dragons. Some were particularly fond of the time he had out swam a Scauldron to present a net to its neck, others delighted in the story of how he had wrestled down and killed a Monstrous Nightmare whilst naked. Whether or not some stories were the product of boasting or true courage, Eret nonetheless knew enough to respect the man.

"I want nets manned and ready! Spear men to your posts and prepare for any attacks!"

Eret was growing increasingly nervous the further they advanced into the Northern waters. He knew that dragons mostly existed in the Northern lands these days after the saints had banished most of them from the homeland of the righteous, but that made such beasts no less dangerous. Those more familiar with the creatures spoke dark and eerie tales in the night when Eret was trying to fall asleep, wild stories of creatures that devoured men whole or that could set whole villages ablaze in an instant. What Eret used to think were but stories to frighten children seemed to be very real events that could terrify full grown men. They had so far encountered none up close-only a few glances from a distance around Zealand that had been plenty to worry some of the more nervous men.

Now, Asger's calls for readiness and the glint of something-either bravery or madness-in his eyes worried the Irishman approaching a new and frightening experience with no means of escape should the boat go up in flames. Blood began to pump quickly, his skin growing hot with anticipation as they neared the icebergs. If the dragons didn't kill him, Eret was sure that these eternal perils to sailors most certainly would. His muscles grew tense with each creak of the boat as it passed between floating mountains of white.

"Eret! Don't just stand there! Grab one of the choke sticks; it looks like we've got a family of Nightmares here!"

Startled out of fear by Asger's fierce yell as the captain draw a war club for beating the beasts into submission, Eret made for his station as he had been trained for. The rest of the crew stood poised and at attention, looking to the veterans for leadership in this moment of action. Ballistae equipped with nets were prepared and loaded, swiveled around slowly as the men in charge of them looked for an opportunity to strike and win themselves some glory among their fellow shipmates. The other hand weapons like Ager's club were designed to be nonlethal. Eret had been instructed that every care should be taken to deliver dragons to Drago in the best condition, and for that reason blades were abhorred since they could severely damage or kill such valuable merchandise. For reason of his impressive physical strength, Eret had been assigned to a neck choker, a weapon akin to a war fork that was designed to hold down a dragon's neck as the wings were subdued and it was calmed by darts coated in a resin made from certain herbs-or was simply forced to smell the herbs themselves. All he had to do was not stick the spikes into the neck itself, and Eret was confident he could do his job well.

Eret stood near the edge of the ship, waiting for when a net brought down a dragon and he would be needed. He tried to steady his heart as he heard the distant calls of the pursued beasts drawing nearer. Another man equipped with a choke stick-a Dane- kept a stoic façade next to Eret, looking to the sky either in anticipation of one of the beasts coming out of the sun or perhaps offering prayer to his gods. Eret felt a need to offer similar reverence for his own deity, but reaching for his neckline he was reminded of the absence of the cross that had once been a constant comfort to be felt against his ribs. The silver was gone, having vanished within Drago's palm and never being seen again. Eret still wanted it; he still sometimes ran his hand over his chest at night seeking the silver that had been with him since he was a boy. But increasingly-much to his own dismay-he felt less of a need day by day to find solace in prayer. When life never seemed to change, when every day involved waking up to the same dismal life that was forced upon him, a trust in the God that had otherwise provided for him seemed a pointless effort to relieve himself from his constant pain. He decided to let this Dane who still had some manner of faith in supernatural powers do what he may, feeling that such actions would bear no fruits for him in this moment.

"Look ready boys, they've spotted us!"

From what Eret understood from discussions of Asger's strategy, a family was the best thing to go after when pursuing dragons in service of Lord Drago-whom Asger had been serving for the past two years. Since most dragons meticulously looked after their young for several years it would be common to witness mating pairs or a mother raising her young in the event the father was either dead or moved on to another mate. Since the parents would always defend the weaker younglings, they would stay and fight instead of running away like the usual, solitary dragon, and therefore were the best opportunities to capture the full grown beasts that were far more desirable. Peering around the side of the boat Eret could see them, two adults of purple and red respectively and a brood of three offspring of the same colors, two the former and the last the latter. The large parents were bearing their teeth more often and beginning to snarl at the boat as it approached, hissing and moaning and letting out the occasional roar as the ballistae began to take aim, waiting for the signal from Asger.

"Come on you bastards! You want to fight then fight!"

Asger spun his club around his head, a maniacal smile writ upon his face. Eret was sure that the captain was whipping himself into the emotional frenzy necessary to propel the body towards great and impressive acts. From his post Eret could begin to see their targets drawing into range, baring teeth and flapped wings at the boat as it drew nearer. Large icebergs passed them, none close enough to damage the hull of the ship yet but always appearing ready to do so. The ice cracked and groaned to itself as the vessel sailed between irregular rows of the white capped mountains. The megaliths of ancient ice that had finally made their way southward from the far northern wastes were a dangerous company to keep for any sailor, but that did not seem to discourage Asger or his ambition. The captain was a man that -to Eret- seemed to treat fear as a child, something cute to be patted on the head when it presented itself and ignored when it came time to perform the job at hand. Eret wasn't sure to respect his audacity or worry that it would lead to his death, but either way it had put him in the situation he was in now.

A loud roar of primordial hatred struck through Eret's ears and into his heart, spiking his adrenaline and drawing his attention to the male of the family that began to rise with large swings of its wings. Gusts of cold air whipped at Eret's face as the mother began to ascend with her mate. The three hatchlings curled around each other and gave high pitched hisses to the boat as it stopped and all men steadied at their stations, waiting for the order from stone faced Asger. The captain stayed at the bow, swinging his club above his head and shouting taunts as the beasts hovered above with heavy gusts of air.

Eret took a heavy swallow as the sun turned the once resplendently colored dragons into dark and ominous silhouettes against the solar backdrop. Like demons that had broken through into the world of mortals, the dark wings raised the serpentine bodies into the sky as hisses and growls arose like the songs of Hell itself from the long teethed mouths. The dark figures rose higher and higher, but instead of flying away instead soared closer and closer to the sky, pursuing the sun. The ballistae curved up, tracing their targets but still holding back until Asger's orders. Eret couldn't tell what he was waiting for. The dragons had been stationary on the iceberg before, why hold off attacking then and instead give them this opportunity to strike back and cause injury? Was Asger's delirious craving for blood so powerful so as to put his own boat at stake? It appeared so to Eret, and this made him grip his tool all the more firmly as the shadows in the sky began to descend.

"Here they come! Ballistae take aim and loose at will!"

Roars from times beyond those safe for man erupted from the clear azure above Eret as the parents began their attack. Back on the iceberg, the younger dragons leaped around and snarled at the boat, the one red offspring trying to flap its wings to join its parents and defend itself in the same manner. Eret looked skyward as the dragons descended, the man's pulse racing as the darkness approached. He held his weapon up but averted his eyes, suddenly struck with shadows that struck from the back of his mind, shadows that validated all the stories he had heard from so many others in a single instant collided into a wave of terror that shook his body.

"Loose!"

The rapid movements of sliding wood and projected netting gave Eret a space of time to look up and see the dragons in their last moment of flight before the two large bodies collapsed onto the wide deck of the boat, with men scrambling to wrestle them down and Asger leaped from the bow with club in hand, laughing hysterically as he went to take a whack the still moving head of the male that was attempting to lash through the netting.

"Get the herbs! Dart the monsters you worthless bastards!" Asger's voice was high and in the tunnel-vision state of hysterics that stressful situations such as these create. Eret started forward hesitantly as the rest of the crew went after the two dragons, brought down with far more ease than Eret had been expecting. He'd been prepared to put out fires and even to abandon ship if enough damage was done, but by the leadership of the veterans and with the beasts pinned under rope and bodies things were going along rather smoothly. Muzzles were being brought forward to prevent fire if they were to occur, and with several other neck chokers already on the beasts, Eret advanced to make his mark.

"Got one more! Look out!" A sentry's voice alerted Eret to another shadow that bounded forward from iceberg to iceberg and making its way towards the ship. The red hatchling that had shown some degree of wing control was quickly bounding towards them and was small and nimble enough to dodge what remaining nets were launched at them from the ballistae. "Little bastard is coming up quick!"

Seeing the oncoming threat Eret switched around on the balls of his feet and-with no real orders in the general frenzy of the moment- approached the oncoming creature with a determination to prove his worth where he hadn't already.

"Come on…come on…" He muttered as the dragon made the final leap onto the railing of the ship and hissed at the other men. Its parents groaned behind their muzzles and tried to throw off the other men to go back and protect their hatchling. The other men were a little apprehensive towards apprehending the small creature that was unpredictable and dangerous outside a net. The reptile opened its maw several times, trying to spray fire but turning up nothing. Eret scoffed as the beast revealed its physical immaturity as he approached, heart overtaken with a need to display bravery in the company of other men that had done tougher things already.

"Watch yourself!" Came from behind Eret as he lunged towards the beast. The dragon approached with a leap but was intercepted by Eret, who swung the shaft of his choker against the creature's head and knocked it to the deck. Before the disoriented reptile could even recover Eret had jammed the choker behind its head, locking it against the wood as the hatchling squirmed in an effort to get away. A foot placed on the back between the dragon's wings arrested most of the movement but did nothing for the snarls and moans from both hatchling and parents-the latter being quickly drugged with darts and crushed herbs. The mother had a much better view of the hatchling, and was still fighting the haze that the rest of the crew was intending to put her in. The bond between mother and child was a strong one that Eret understood to transcend all species, and the strained and panic stricken eyes of this elder Nightmare revealed just how deep such a feeling could go.

"Nicely done there lad!" Came from Asger who approached with spread arms of appreciation. Eret held firm as the dragon squirmed beneath him, smiling as his efforts were acknowledged and more eyes set on him to see the man who had warranted the captain's singular attention. "Good timing and good hold, you've got something I'll tell you that!"

"Thank you sir, just doing my part." Eret grunted as he applied more force on subduing the wryly beast beneath him.

"Very good indeed, and you know what the reward is for subduing a hatchling is don't you? I mean the other two are stuck there on the iceberg so we've got to do something with this little guy now don't we?" As he finished Asger passed Eret his club, a simple weapon of rectangular wood studded with dull steel that had lost its luster. Eret took a moment to put the words and the action together, and it took the captain reaching to take the choker from him and applying his own force onto it that Eret could figure it out. "Well? It's considered an honor to take a kill from a captain. You trying to make yourself look dishonorable?"

"No sir!" Eret shouted out as a knee jerk reaction against getting on Asger's bad side. He clutched the club firmly and took a few steps away to let Asger properly subdue the dragon. He stepped forward toward the head, where it was still to harden up and become the tough crown and horns typified by the parents. A soft skull that would make for an easy kill.

It wouldn't take much. Just a good whack or two and it would be over. With the choker pressed up against the back of the dragon the beast could not see Eret with its eyes. Taking a long breath Eret hoisted the club above his head and steadied his aim. He knew the mother was probably watching him, her eyes not even blinking as Eret stood poised to extinguish the life of her kin before her. He knew those eyes were drilling into his back, trying to see beyond it and to her offspring, pinned and frightened much like her but being spared the agony of a further life in servitude. Mercy. This was a about mercy now. Mercy for the worthless offspring to not die slowly by starvation. Mercy for the mother from worrying about her kin's fate as she was brought southward. Mercy for the crew so they would not have to deal with a small waste of space were such a worthless creature taken into the hold. Eret was doing this for them all. Mercy was the feeling that surged through his fingers; mercy is what he whispered beneath his breath as the club descended and came back up for another blow.

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

_::We always could just kill her, I am certain that such a thing would relieve your emotional state.::_

"I'm not emotional Cloudjumper."

_:: Are you sure of this? I can feel a great distress coming off you, this is a signal of human emotion is it not?::_

Fire rose against the dark canvas of a cloudy night, where the pale grey of moon lit clouds shimmered amidst the flames that rose up towards them. Screams from the registers of both genders struck up in discordant calls from the amorphous clouds of orange and black. Shadows flew within shadows, the night struck down towards the ground and spewed fire, roaring with anger as it disappeared into the black, sometimes with some manner of plump bounty in its claws.

_::Doing away with her might very well put an end to this, you would want this yes? This is what you have always made very apparent to me.::_

"It's not that simple Cloudjumper."

_::While I agree that the actual act of killing her may very well be difficult the fact remains that her removal would put an end to the situation. That itself is simple enough to understand.::_

Valka sighed, tiring of both waking hours and forever logical company. Why had she even come here? She knew the moment she brought up returning here for just a night she would be subject to the dragon's constant offers to help her do something about this lonely island or asking her all sorts of questions about whether or not she was content in her splendid isolation. She would certainly be so if not for the dragon's constant questions. She knew he was only trying to be as open and caring for her as possible-and she appreciated such emotions even if they were more steeped in logic than the conventional yearnings of a human heart.

Still, the routine of many years was starting to wear thin on her. Isolation was becoming a sort of iron weight placed around her shoulders, one that she could easily bare at first but that fatigued more and more as weeks bled into months and months hemorrhaged into endless years of isolation that was as much imprisoning as liberating. Being raised among humans, being raised to be the person that she was had left her with the handicap that the longer she stayed away from her own species, the more she craved it. She'd even taken a second trip the Northern outpost that stood sentry over the waters she claimed as her own back during the solstice. Breaking the chains of liberty was a unique and at first frightening experience that was gradually turning into a welcome treat for her. To see human suffering and joy again, to look at skin besides her own and to smell the noxious aroma of unwashed men was a treat too long held away from her by self volition.

Then it had started, that annoying knot in her gut that had slowly dragged her mental map further and further southward, towards an island she had vowed never to return to. Even now her stomach was uneasy, her blood moving quick and her throat tight at seeing it for the first time in one and half decades. The orange haze that enshrouded it should have been a fair enough indication that this had been a bad idea, but in keeping to true form the fires of destruction were as mesmerizing as disturbing. It looked no different than the night she had left and chosen what she still considered the better life. But the amorphous glow of the blaze was determined to play distressing chords upon her heart that had not been struck in a long time and for good reason. She'd arrived on one of the small islands beyond the village harbor after the sun had set and originally intended to simply lie in the cool grass and reminisce about a different point in her life. Instead, a raid had begun and she was subjected to the very violence she had for so long abhorred. It mattered not how much she disliked or tired to stay away from it, violence always seemed to find her.

"Sometimes the simplest things are the hardest to act on Cloudjumper."

He was probably still there. He had survived far worse raids than this rather ordinary looking one. There were few if any things in this mortal realm that could hurt, let alone kill Stoick the Vast. He was probably rushing from house to house, saving his people and doing ferocious battle whenever he could. He'd probably kill one of two dragons himself tonight, no question. She could not condone such actions anymore, but she could still appreciate his skills to be able to defeat beasts she knew to be so powerful with a steel sword and an iron will. As bad as death and destruction were, they were still a skill to be applauded when it was done well.

She had for so long tried to forgo the thought of him, to accept separation as the reality she had imposed upon herself to make her life better. Increasing her contact with humans as a remedy for her loneliness had however begun to stir memories within her, memories that called forth the emotions of warm summer evenings so as to worship the stars and of cold nights indoors to worship each other. There had been a time when she had called him her lover, a time when she was proud to say she had pledged now broken vows of marriage to a man that was now fighting for his life in that firestorm beyond the waves.

_::The sight before us seems to be causing you great distress though, therefore requesting the assistance of Lord Capitolinus in the destruction of the nearby nest would be highly beneficial in relieving such agony.::_

There were times when Valka appreciated Cloudjumper's capacity for understanding the very minor hints of body language when concerning emotion. It made him an excellent flying companion, for he could pick up on subtle cues for direction and maneuver from the smallest changes in posture. When Valka felt herself in the slightest of foul moods however, his love for studying human emotion and alleviating it-part of his usual tasks performed for other dragons anyways-could become quite irritating to a soul that only wanted to wallow in misery alone.

"I don't-"

_::Furthermore the destruction of the nest would open up opportunities for you to return to permanent human company. I know this is a desire of yours to an extent, why would you deny yourself this?::_

Logic once again demonstrated itself to the eternal nemesis of emotional indecision. Dragons were full of it and Valka had come to respect this unique way of thinking, but it was also one that lent itself to conflict with the strange, illogical nuances of human emotion that made the species so unique. Cloudjumper could indeed make a valid case for seeking the help of the Alpha in putting an end to this-and to the outsider such an action appeared the only sensible one to perform. But commitments, oaths taken for the self and for the gods were still a high wall that Valka could not find herself capable of surmounting. She turned away from the painful flint of the fires beyond the dark waters before her, finding the faint outline of the Stormcutter hanging upside down from a large pine branch, yellow eyes staring ahead at her resolutely.

"Cloudjumper…you know that I want to live with only you and the rest of the dragons yes?"

_::I understand that this has been your intention since I took you away from here, but I also understand that you have longings to return to those I took you from. If you wish I may leave you here to be with-::_

"No!" Valka nearly screamed, incensed by the dragon's audacity to doubt her desires to be with him. At the same time, he spoke more to her own inner desires than she, understanding the woman better than the woman herself. "No Cloudjumper I…I _don't_ want to just be left here. They wouldn't accept me for what I've done, they might even kill me." She dreaded the thought of it, but she knew that attempting to be docile with a dragon whatsoever made one susceptible to extreme punishment in village law. Abandoning her husband and son for fifteen years would most certainly warrant her death-she doubted Stoick would be in much of a talking mood if she suddenly showed up one day and pretended everything to be better.

_::Which is why it would of course make the most logical sense to destroy the nest. Were there no more raids, do you not think that with peace at last the village would be willing to welcome the person that had brought such peace about? You could return to the village and see your mate and kin again, perhaps even I could join you. The potential for peace is certainly held within your decision. Lord Capitolinus would be willing-::_

"If Lord Capitolinus was willing to end this wouldn't he have done it a long time ago?!" Her raised voice in turn brought silence between the two, leaving only the burning chaos of the village beyond to puncture the dense silence of the night. Cloudjumper looked at her with a hesitance, wary of confronting her in such a state where reason and emotion conflicted so strongly in the vessel of a single mind. "If Lord Capitolinus or I or anyone else cared enough to end this damn war they would have done it already right?! If people actually wanted to end any war they never would have let it start in the first place!"

She seethed through her teeth, furious not only at her present place in time but in the history of life itself, which from what Lord Capitolinus had told her was one of constant strife and conflict. No matter when a soul was born there was always war, all that differed was whether or not said person would be on the side of victory or not. War was eternal and nobody seemed intent to stop it except for a few, and those like herself that would have liked to see it stop were stymied by other reasons. Both logic and emotion conspired within the human heart to prevent anyone from stopping conflict until it had run its course. War would not stop until it had satisfied itself with its thirst for the blood of man, and every person that lived was touched with some impediment to stopping this thief of life.

"They in that village have gotten along for the past three hundred years with war and they'll be perfectly content to go another three hundred if it means they can keep going with their culture of fighting! They are nothing but a bunch of war loving savages that could never understand me or you or everything that we have!" She pointed back towards the blaze with her finger, primed with a long tempered rage that had for years been subdued but now finally had an outlet in addressing the vista she used to call home.

_::…Were you not a part of these people once? Do they not hold the same potential for peace that you have?::_

The question struck at the core the issue at hand, the torn identity of a woman who would sometimes feel herself born to the wrong species. Like a large wave it swept over her anger and extinguished it, leaving her with only a cold reality that she had never wanted to accept until now.

_::Why would you deny them the possibility of the peace you desire if you are a part of them? Would your mate and kin not do the same for you?::_

Valka thought back to the night she had left, to little innocent Hiccup playing with Cloudjumper as she had entered the room. There, in the young heart of a life not yet used to conflict there was the potential for peace and love that-no matter how many times bled by war and chilled over by hatred-made humans so remarkable in their capacity for affection. She had seen it for so brief a time, that ability to understand and to love unconditionally that slowly dies in the heart as it grows old and sees the world for what it is. Could that spark of love truly still be there, in a boy amidst the flames that surely would have grown detached from the true wonders of unspoiled emotion? Would he not want the same as her? Were her thoughts, feelings and actions not as unique as she would have hoped? Such things frightened her, the possibility of her convictions being no longer the outlier to the rest of human ability threatened her entire view of the world, of all she had done with the past sixteen years of her life.

"No. I may be human, but not all humans are created equal. A few of us are capable of peace, the rest live only for destruction. If Stoick and Hiccup were in my position they would know this too, that it is pointless helping people who don't want to be helped…no matter how much they may mean to us." She sighed, turning her eyes away from both the blaze and the dragon so that neither could see the tears building in her eyes. "If they want peace they'll just have to figure it out just like I did."

_::Valka? Are you alr-::_

"I've seen enough Cloudjumper, we're leaving. If we make good time we can be back at the nest by daybreak, are you up for it?"

_::Valka I feel you are not-::_

"I'm fine!" Her tone was terse, refusing to concede to anything other than her own desires at the moment and certainly in no mood to hear more logical attempts to fix rifts in her heart that she did not want to try and heal. She took her staff that had been leaned up against a tree as Cloudjumper fell from his perch and righted himself, eyes stoic and accepting his friend as she leapt onto his back. "Let's just get out of here; this was all a mistake to begin with."

_::As you wish my friend…::_ Cloudjumper pumped his wings and made himself airborne, melding into the night as Valka settled herself in for the long and cold flight back to the nest, where a mighty dragon that could fix everything would idly wait for her to hear all about her travels to this gods-forsaken island. This world remained exactly the way she'd left it, the same old nightmare that she inexplicably found herself drawn towards time and time again. She knew it would be pointless to come back, dangerous to try and bridge the great divide and end a war that had for so long defined the life of this island.

Looking down on the island from above, as the last of the dragons began to flee with the raid's conclusion, the ember of longing that had drawn her here glowed anew at seeing the fires of destruction beneath her. Something was still drawing her attention back here, back to the world of humanity from which she had been spawned. Try as she did she could not escape who she was and the life that had been led before one fateful night sixteen years ago. Her humanity screamed in the night to rejoin with its kind. With every call Valka could feel her determination and her arrogance chipping away, with every glimpse and observation of the world she left behind the wall crumbled, and one desire above all carried forward the flag of unity with her kind once more.

Love.

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

"That's your fifth one…"

"So what? They're good. Besides you've had four yourself, what's the big deal?"

"Nothing just-"

"You saying I'm fat?"

"No! No of course not!"

Astrid chuckled as she stood above Hiccup for the moment, having taken another pear from the tree beneath which they sat. She bit into it with both jaws and ripped out a piece, still smiling at the boy that had relaxed himself back into Toothless' side. The dragon breathed slowly, half his body enjoying the delightful warmth of bathing in the sunlight while the other relaxed in the cool shade of the pear tree.

It was a single pear tree, left for reasons none could truly understand in the middle of a field of lavender. The rows of purple stretched on in every direction, spinning like the spokes of a wheel around the axle of this single tree that bore splendid fruit. The pears were very sweet, having ripened on the branch instead of being picked before then and being allowed to ripen in the hands of the consumer.

Astrid was standing for the moment, the sweet nectar running down her chin-not that she seemed to care. The natural curves of leaves and fruit cast abstract shadows upon her face, a low breeze rustling the fauna that waved slowly beneath a bright blue sky. Only a few wispy clouds near the top of the world broke the endless azure vista, too high to fly between and too thin to provide any real manner of shade. The air was hot and the sun strong, more powerful now than it had even been at the solstice, nearing the pinnacle of its strength despite the days slowly growing shorter. Today had proven to be one of the many recent days where the cloudless skies and persistent solar presence had made flying during the warmest hours an uncomfortable and joyless process. Much like yesterday they had found a place to rest until the sun started to descend further, and found this one area in particular quite idyllic and perfect for wasting time.

Rich amethyst spread out to every horizon, in perfectly ordered lines that made it appear that the whole of the existence had been taken over by the rich colors of this single plant. Two lovers and a dragon surrounded by the splendor of nature's finest color that had rightfully been chosen as the mark of kings. It was a purple seen once before in a set of northern eyes, but whereas in the strangle of Winter such a color was one of cold and pain it was here of warmth and love, of Summer offering the finest that Mother Nature had at her disposal to mankind to do with as it willed. The vast rolling hills of the flower were an ornament to nature itself, an emblem of the beauty that was inherent within the natural world that when properly unleashed brought the majesty of the heavens to the realm of the living for however short a time.

"You think whoever owns this field will harvest it soon?" Astrid asked as she took another chunk out of the pear, looking out to the vast purple oceans, the royal cape of the world in which they found themselves a humble visitor.

"Don't know. I mean whoever owns this place must have an army of people to harvest this for whatever reason."

_::Given that it is a human creation there does not necessarily have to be one. Perhaps it is merely planted in such a neatly ordered configuration for aesthetic reasons?::_ Toothless grumbled from his doze, having tried to not pay much attention to the light hearted and mostly trivial banter of the two humans.

"Come on Toothless, nobody is that dumb so as to go through all this effort just to have something pretty to look at." Hiccup retorted, finding that he rolled his eyes in synch with Astrid and that both drew a smile out of this.

_::Do you not go through great effort to improve your bodies for mates? To improve your houses so that you live in beauty? Embellish your weapons so that they mean something to you? What is so different about modifying the land so as to serve a similar purpose?::_

"Because humans are lazy Toothless." Astrid responded as she went to rip the last shreds of edible fruit off the pear, finishing her answer between bites. "And when-when making something pretty is-too much effort we give up. Simple as that."

Toothless moaned, knowing that he was encountering another hypocrisy of humans that would not be worth his energy to point out. _::So be it. I suppose at least you are honest in your capacity for lethargy, this is better than denying your faults.::_

"Yeah we're lazy, got a problem with that?"

_::Does one of the people that rides on my back every day really intend to question my critique of the laziness of said person? Along with laziness, hypocrisy seems to be a constant in humans.::_

"You're impossible sometimes, you know that?" Astrid critiqued, waving her hand at the dozing dragon as she stepped back towards the pear tree and looked up into the branches.

_::I beg to differ that I am impossible, rather that it is impossible to understand that which I am. There is a difference.::_

"Of course, because you're just _so_ brilliant aren't you?"

_::You are yet to prove to me anything but the contrary, so thus the only logical conclusion is that which you say.::_

"Ugh…Hiccup how did you ever manage to get a saddle on him?" Astrid asked, reaching an arm back up into the tree as her studious eyes peered through the brush to the treasure she desired.

"Well-"

_::Brilliance has nothing to do with a willingness to live and thrive. As intelligent as I am I still needed to fly and to reestablish my independence of mind after my imprisonment by Palantinius. Every creature-no matter the intelligence-has a desire to survive and will use any means available to it in order to achieve this goal. Hiccup coming along as he did and my compliance with him was merely my willingness to survive.::_

"Glad to know you care about me so much bud…"

_::Think not that I am unappreciative of what you did or what we have Hiccup, but when considered logically this is the motivation to my actions. You may give whatever more emotional and aesthetic nuances to these circumstances as you will, but all decisions-no matter how much they appeal to the soul as you humans put it-are at some point based in a manner of logical conclusions.::_

"You just don't want to admit that you're happy Hiccup showed up when he did or else you would be dead, but of course that isn't "logical and proper" for you to say now is it?" Astrid scoffed as she pulled at the tree, tearing away another pear and rubbing off whatever dirt and grime was on the surface against her shirt.

_::Perhaps…perhaps we just see this issue in different ways. Mine is of course the correct way, but you may say it as it benefits you.::_

"Will do there Toothless." Hiccup mumbled as he opened his arms to an approaching Astrid. The girl ripped off another piece of fruit from her hand as she kneeled down and lent into his lap. With both of their sets of feet facing forward she reclined against his chest. The boy's arms were quick to wrap around her abdomen as Astrid's head leaned back against his shoulder. She moaned happily as they became comfortable and Hiccup's hands finally settled into an interlocking grip around her belly button. They sat at peace like this only for a moment before Astrid turned her hear around to just barely see Hiccup's face, one that raised an eyebrow at her with a coy, humorous eyes.

"What?"

"Six? Real-ow!"

He was cut off by an elbow that was lightly jammed into his side as Astrid turned back around with a playful smile upon her face, taking the pear up to her mouth but smelling it first, enjoying the sweet aroma of ripe fruit. "Well we haven't exactly had much in the ways of meat recently, I'm hungry. Besides they're delicious don't you think?"

"I'm not denying this; just don't think I've ever seen anyone eat that much fruit in one time before."

"Well we didn't exactly have much back on Berk now did we? If we have the opportunity, I'm going to enjoy it."

"Go ahead, I won't stop you." He mumbled as he tightened his grip around her again, drawing her close to him in a cuddle as she bit down into the fruit, tearing it apart with her canines as a wild animal does to freshly slaughtered prey.

Her hair itself was mostly returned to its golden luster. There was a faint brown sheen to the it that could be seen as different from the natural color of sunlight that was growing from her roots, but this stain was not quite strong enough to ruin the luxurious feel of the soft threads. His own hair was suffering the same effect and had a blonde sheen to it that could be seen well enough in powerful sunlight. Not that Hiccup cared much about his own air, but would regularly worship Astrid's if given the opportunity. Even cut short it did not lose its appeal, and Astrid was starting to remark on how she could see it growing again, at the same rate as he. The shoulder length hair slowly crawled down towards their backs, and Astrid was excited about when they could each have equal length hair for some reason that Hiccup could not quite understand.

Hiccup settled his head into a comfortable position against her shoulder, listening to her chew and the various odd sounds within her body, her breathing most of all. Some of her hair brushed against his nose, tickling the sensitive skin. He decided to let the sensation continue instead of breaking any part of this delicate image, not daring to let her out of his grip for a moment. It smelled like a human body should, an odor that despite some of the normally malicious smelling attributes occurring in anyone that has not bathed for a few weeks still has an appeal to the most animalistic aspects of the mind. It is an aroma that had been appreciated since the dawn of humanity, one that for the sake of civilization was hidden beneath the smells of honey and flowers but in certain instances still held its eternal appeal. The smell of nature, the true smell of a person when freed from the necessary chains of community.

Astrid tore apart another piece of the fruit as the couple looked out into the endless vistas of lavender that surrounded them. They sat within the crown jewel of nature, the world's finest amethyst that flourished only for a short time before once more fading away, ensuring that it would be savored again when it at last triumphantly returned. With every gentle flurry of the breeze the scent of this wonder of nature was carried to them, washing over their bodies and mingling with their natural odors. The endless fields of lavender welcomed them, gave them solitude and comfort and tranquility in which to pass away time in blissful idleness, doing nothing but enjoying the other and all that they were.

Overcome with happiness, Hiccup pressed a long, tender kiss into the back of Astrid's head. The girl nestled in to his hold, swallowing her most recently taken piece of fruit as she relaxed her shoulders against his chest. "I love you." He whispered against the back of her ear, gently blowing against it like the breeze but with a more loving, nearly sensuous connotation.

"Mmh…I love you too." She said back lazily, no less serious in her emotions but with the usual lethargy that overcomes people in hot weather being strong in her. The shade of the tree had small openings between leaves where beams of the powerful sunlight could still strike, comfortably warming them and relaxing their muscles, making any serious efforts at strenuous movement a seemingly insurmountable obstacle. "Thank you for spotting this place, it's great."

"Well thank _you _forfinally getting rid of that armored skirt." He sung with glee. It had been a good day when Astrid had woken up in the morning, stretched and attempted to squeeze her waist into the armored contraption and failed on every occasion. No matter how many times she sucked in her gut or tried to wiggle her legs through the tightly bound hole she simply couldn't bring it up past her thighs. They'd left it in a tree somewhere and carried on, leaving the armor of skin and purity behind and allowing Astrid to venture on with trousers alone. Her tight blue ones that she had left Berk with had been abandoned back at the Norman village as they fled in the night, leaving her with three remaining pairs-two of brown and a nicer one of dark green that she wore now.

Their flight from the burning village had left them depressed for the first days that had followed, stricken with guilt over doing nothing and letting those not already dead suffer the similar fate. Logic had however saved them from what they knew would have been some manner of death. Hiccup felt that they could have at least convinced Toothless to unleash some fire on them, but the dragon had once again fought back with the logic that such a thing would have been an empty gesture and that his own fire could have in fact done more damage to the already burning village. Gradually they had gotten over it after a week had passed. Life on Berk had ingrained in them the ability to mourn only for a short time after death, for prolonged grief was pointless when more was always on the way. They had continued southward-following a decent map of the Frankish kingdom and surrounding areas Hiccup had in the house at the time- and had continued on in such a course for several weeks as summer matured into the zenith of its powers. They found that the forests and hills of the north gradually gave way to endless fields and plains of differing trees and crops the further towards the sea they flew. The land of the Franks was one of remarkable diversity, the land itself held the potential for greatness, only needing to be harnessed by the right people to achieve its own destiny.

War itself seemed like such a distant memory now in the bosom of purple majesty that enveloped them. Serenity was the only thing they could feel, tranquility the only emotion that nature wished to bring out of them. The world itself had no more important business than to put on an idle show for them, to give them the essence of peace for a brief instant, to give an external presentation of the capacity of human nature when not disturbed by the innumerable vices of the physical world. Purple was an amazing color, appealing to pride, to power and strength at some times, other appealing to sensuous desires that could send the heart racing. Here, it was only the hue of serenity, of calm hearts and relaxed minds that were allowed to come out in the warm haze of summer's apex.

"It's so beautiful right here isn't it?" Astrid asked, rolling her shoulders against Hiccup's chest.

"It takes after you." Hiccup mumbled, too wound up in love and relaxation to pay much attention to whatever random words of admiration he sent Astrid's way. She laughed slowly at such sweetness, her abdomen fluctuating erratically at the giddiness that surged within her. "What?"

"Nothing. You're just so nice sometimes you know that?"

"Well yeah, is that a problem?"

"Of course not! It's just funny to see sometimes is all. I like it. I mean who _doesn't _like being called pretty?"

"Well…true I guess." He mumbled as he pressed his lips close to her ear, their hair mingling together as heads collided gently, nuzzling the other. "Besides, it feels good that I can call you pretty just as much."

"Ha…well in that case never feel shy about letting yourself feel good then." Astrid laughed, pushing herself back against him, each body seeking some kind of comfort as curves and lines pushed and contracted against the other.

"Oh I don't, not when you're around."

"And I know that. After all it feels good doesn't it?" She whispered in a low, sultry voice as she pushed back against him a certain, way, maneuvering the back end of her pelvis against his own and finding exactly what she expected, a growing firmament that she took pride in creating by her presence alone. Hiccup's breathing in that one instance grew staggered and uneasy, overcome with a new sensation that could easily render all other stimuli pointless to contemplate in comparison.

"Ye-yes it does feel good. Very good Astrid." He moaned as his hands-still locked around one another began to lower themselves, creeping down her abdomen slowly with each passing breath and as Astrid kept herself in that one fateful position. His heart accelerated and felt as though it were ready come apart at the seams with every short movement he made further downward. Would she mind? Wasn't the technically doing the same to him? It was only fair wasn't it? He crept down as the pressure against his groin grew increasingly more noticeable from both within and beyond, Astrid's ass and his own excitement converging and separated only by the thinness of their clothing. Was she really hinting at this? Now with toothless around? He could only understand this to be a direct call and so continued, finding that he had so far been successful in reaching the waistline. All he had to do now was slip beneath the hemline and-

"No!" She jerked forward, not breaking his hold but making her point well known enough that his hand soared back up to the middle of her abdomen. Hiccup was startled, suddenly terrified that he had done something wrong and that physical pain might be in store for him for his bold transgressions. Toothless did not move behind them, only breathing slowly in the hazy trance of sleep. Hiccup could feel his breath stalling and coming in frantic gasps as Astrid turned around her head and shifted in her seat to face him, face not too visibly filled with rage but more so an irritation at both he and herself which puzzled the boy.

"Toothless?" She whispered towards the dragon whose eyes were closed before them. After repeating the inquisition and seeing no manner of attention drawn from the reptile she turned back to Hiccup, who was beginning to calm down at seeing that he was not in any immediate danger from his actions. "Just making sure he's asleep, I don't want him interrupting this. You know how he can be about these things."

"Oh…o-a-alright."

"Hiccup…" She began, not angry but instead regretful. "_That_ and….well what we were doing back I the house before we had to flee that's…we have to talk about that. I know what you want Hiccup and-you want sex right?"

Hiccup was flustered at the question, his mind momentarily shut down as though he had received the true answer to life itself. He knew the correct answer to the question, one he and most others of his gender answered to early in their lives and driving them to forever seek the means to complete this question. Slowly, both wary and excited about where this conversation was going he nodded his head.

"Yes Hiccup I know and I-I want it too it's just-" She stopped, eyes closing as she tried to think about the best way to put such a lewd yet necessary confession. "I like all this, the flirtation and some of the other touching and everything it's just…I'm scared about it. I don't know it's just-just I don't feel ready for all that yet and I don't…well to be honest I don't know if either of us are. We're young Hiccup; we're young and alone in the world with the exception of each other and if anything goes wrong…" She trailed off, hinting to him the possibilities that did quite conceivably await if they were not careful with themselves. Hiccup could see such things as well and understood precisely what Astrid was alluding to. He thought it a shame that conceptions and desires for sex develop at so young an age, but the best circumstances for them took time and patience to get to.

"Just-I'm not mad at you for before Hiccup but I'm…just let me take the lead on this stuff alright. There is going to be some point where I'll both want sex _and_ be comfortable with it. And when that time comes believe me I'm going to enjoy it just as much as you. But until, I'll tell you what I'm comfortable with and what I'm not comfortable with. I wasn't comfortable with what was happening there but someday…" She slithered a hand towards his groin, having gone soft in fear but eager to expand again at the near proximity of her fingers. "I think I'll enjoy that as much as you do this. Alright?"

Her fingers drew away as she lay against him on her side. He nodded slowly at first before resting his head against her own again; giving a long exhale of relaxation now that the moment of emotional toil had passed. "Understood. I'm sorry."

"That's alright. Just establishing boundaries is all. I love you just the same." They lay there a moment, in the still calm of an empty field where lavender stretched on till eternity. The sun still shone brightly, the breeze slowly making the plants dance, life carrying on with hopes for the future guaranteed, to be realized when both were ready and keeping both Vikings ecstatic for when they were prepared for the final and truest expression of love.

_::That is all well and good, but can the two of you please just let me sleep already?::_

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

**Hello Peoples!**

**Well this is certainly a bit of a mixed bag chapter, but since I did no writing on Monday I was sort of strapped for time and moved some stuff around to around to create a better chapter than what would have happened (hopefully). I'll be hoping to develop the non Hiccstrid story arcs more as we progress into this epic, since it's about time for our other characters to start developing more and for the wheels of destiny to begin turning. What does "The Master" have in store for our heroes? All shall be revealed in time.**

**As always thanks goes out to my wonderful Beta "Writer for the Tylwyth Teg" for her work on this chapter. If you have any thoughts, any at all feel free to leave them in a review. I can't thank you all enough for your support as we hover around the 200 favorites barrier. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy writing it. Next installment same time, same place. See you next week!**

**-Mc.**


	23. Natural Music

Nature is a chorus, an epic arrangement of sounds orchestrated by divine forces into a forever changing opus of unrivaled beauty. Eternally in flux and always welcoming whatever guests seek to hear such wonders. The instrumentalists are best when gathered under the hot sun of late summer, when the short melodies of birds, the percussion of insects and the drone of leaves were all conducted by the triumphant conductor of the gentle breeze. The world was alive and partaking in the great songs that gave appreciation to that very will to live. The land of the Franks pulsed with a joyous and healthy blood, one that surged through the land and gave a powerful essence of livelihood to all things and made them truly appreciate the miracle of existence.

"Oh yeah…"

Hiccup as well partook in his own role of this great symphony, a role that comprised ecstatic gasps and erratic, unpredictable squirms and convulsions of the body. He was a soloist to the symphony, the natural world but background noise to his singular performance, performing an act of so natural an urge but peculiar in function. In loneliness and rejection, by either the strengths or faults in one's discipline all peoples were brought to such an act at some time or another.

"Come on…"

After first sparking his delight in this act for the first time in months back in the Norman village, the desire for it had grown steadily with the passage of time. His sudden absence from this indulgence of the flesh had gradually not been a concern for him as time had worn on and he never found an appropriate time or place to relieve himself. Yet like a beast so long deprived of food that tastes blood for the first time in countless ages, once satisfied the need requires further satisfaction, never satiated with what attention it is given and calling for more and more. It takes great discipline and strength of character to keep such a monster restrained, to channel the desires of this aspect of the body that-if it could-would hold the rest of the being captive forever, never allowing anything more than feeding of the relentless lust.

The power of the summer haze had driven all three of them apart for the day. Toothless of course had kept close to their belongings, dropped where they had landed near a sun swept field of wheat. Astrid and Hiccup had both gone their separate ways for the day, disappearing into the woods but agreeing to meet back with Toothless by sundown. Where Astrid had gone Hiccup could not occupy himself with at the moment, he had more pressing matters to take care of that-while they indeed concerned her- were of the idea of her and not the flesh and bone.

Rushing off he had found a quiet and secluded place, beneath the cool shade of a large ash tree. The arboreal roots had curved the ground and formed a shallow depression in which he sat. Dead leaves were no impediment to his comfort; the insects that crawled their way beneath them did not distract him from his goal. The gnarled and weather battered roots of the aged tree were walls, fortresses to secure him against the outside world that would dare peel away the delicate veneer of fantasy into which he had placed himself. In the grand chorus of nature even man had a role to play, and Hiccup fulfilled his part to play with a solo on internal thought that worked its way towards a grand, outward finale.

He'd had some difficulty trying to find a good location to place his fantasy. A bed? Too basic. Outside? Yes...but where? In the cove where their lives had changed forever? Too many bad memories associated with it. The pear tree in the lavender field if things went a different way? No…the thought of Toothless' rude interlude kept getting in the way.

Finally the boy had settled not on a thought of his own, but of the girl he thought about. In their most heated moment together she had mentioned her dreams, those desires that the mind could fully release when not placed in the necessary chokehold of waking thought. She had spoken of a stream, a clear flow of water that was but another singer in the chorus of sound around which the boy composed. He imagined what she described to him, of a soft, natural bed of moss besides the gently passing waters. Of he with bare chest-with improved muscles per the request of his vanity. She was already stripped down, ready and willing for him-the male mind does not care for delays in such important matters when the desires of the flesh are so paramount. Her hair was as it had been for so many years, long and shining like the light of fireflies that had been woven into her very body. Her skin shone much the same but in a paler, dampened light that was reminiscent of the distant stars, which must have every night looked down upon her and pouted with envy that they could not match such splendor.

His pants had come down quickly, his length exposed and her fingers quick to clasp it. Whenever he truly imagined it, how such a sensation would feel his legs flinched in awkward directions. He walked the delicate line between a dream and reality, giving only the most basic of attention to his external need and focusing instead on the internal stimulant, determined on a slow manifestation of details and action. He wanted to draw this out, to savor this rare moment of blissful solitude for all it was worth. She dragged him down to the moss, moaning and begging and writhing herself. Hiccup assumed it had to look something like his own pathetic flinches when sudden surges of excitement would overtake his body. He didn't even need to do anything; it was the sight of her in pleasure, of her cooing in satisfaction in relation to his presence alone that was so intoxicating, so invigorating. It was an appeal to an emotion that he could not find it within himself to feel, a satisfaction in his own masculinity, in his own physical appeal to be found attractive and worthy of moans by appearance alone.

Slowly her hand had shifted by the powers of the imagination, morphing into her own body that shook now not by her own will but by his force. His head swayed from side to side, overcome with stimulation in this part of his body that was reward for furthering the drive towards orgasm. It was the very vague notion of her in this ethereal state, of some luscious and pale body that belonged to him for his own use that drove him wild with excitement. Perhaps when the real thing could finally happen things would be different, but a lone individual can think what he wants when concerned with his own pleasure. When entering into union with another, possessiveness could not be the primary goal- but in the realm of the mind even the world can belong to the singular being.

"Mmh…oh yeah come on Astrid…"

On the moss by the stream she lay on her back, breasts holding firm where they were as her legs spread apart. Even without direct experience or the most detailed depictions available to his mental register, within every person there is a primitive understanding, an innate gift of knowledge that fills the void where society fails to educate its young. Opening this treasure that is common to all peoples Hiccup placed himself in one of the most basic positions as bred into his soul and found himself on top of her, penetrating into whatever mysterious area lay in that most guarded area of her body. Every push and every withdrawal was a means to a greater end, an exploration into a world all his own where the complexities of human companionship need not be worried about. The body and its needs were all that the mind could concern itself with, enslaved to physical desires that were carried out in the realm of the ethereal.

He wasn't sure what she would feel like on the inside. His hand that dragged his skin down and back could not possibly equate to her in the flesh, this much he knew as elders had often said. Dreams-despite their malleability and forever being accessible-were often degraded for their failure to live up to reality. He pushed on into his fantasy, contemplating what a final act of union could be like. Was it actually dry like his fingers? Moist like the blood that filled the body? Was there actually blood involved? He shook his head and disregarded the option, such a thought threatened to undo every brick in the palace of pleasure he had built around himself.

The thrusting continued, Astrid's false gasps and imagined moans brought forth Hiccup's own and actualized sighs of pleasure that escaped into the hot air that surrounded him, a living breath of happiness that was but another means of performing man's role in the symphony of the forest in which he was a guest. With every squirm of hers there came a similar shift in body position from him, a mirror opposite of whichever move she suddenly made in the chaotic frenzy of his mind. He tried to randomize her moans, to make her movements as unpredictable as possible. He wanted to make it as close to what reality could be like as possible, for when he could more properly worship and be marveled at her true form as it existed beyond the realm of fantasy. Her body shook, trembling at his entries as her spine arced and eyes rolled in her sockets, driven towards her own pleasure-what vague details of it she had given Hiccup made it an appealing mystery to him and one that he sought to chase, enticed by the thrill of hunting the image of Astrid in the throes of such a state.

_"Hiccup…oh yeah come on. Faster…faster!"_

The call of his dreams propelled the sentient body into action, driving faster pulls in the world of matter and stronger drives in the realm of illusion. Pressure built, surges of energy flowed from his spine to his tip, blood making quick rotations to gain more air to keep the action going. Hiccup's own spine twisted and his body began to become overwhelmed with energy, finding that the release was coming soon and fast.

"Astrid…I'm so close…"

_"I know Hiccup. Me too-oh yes please more!"_

His grip became firmer and more determined as he could feel the fluids surging to a head, could feel parts of his physiology shaking at their core as the fantasy began to collapse and more physical matters began to assert themselves. Knowing that he had nothing to contain that which would come, Hiccup turned on his side as the endgame began. His own voice and that which he created within himself converged in the grand conclusion of nature's chorus, racing to the end as body and mind found the great crescendo that would never fail to dazzle the beholder.

"Ah-ah-ahhyes…"

The climax came and with it silence. As the last dizzying pulses crept forth from Hiccup's body his mind was left in nothing more than darkness. No stream, no bed of moss, no Astrid. No thought of who she was or what he had done, no comprehension of what his body itself had done nor willingness to mull on such matters. As the excited blood receded, as his grip grew loose and that which he held slowly lost its strength, the boy found himself in a powerful and inexplicable darkness. Not a black shroud of evil as overcomes the mind in times of fear, but a void of thought, a true realization of mental lethargy. Religious men who dreamed for a chance to clear their heads to hear the will of the divine would envy such a mental void as the boy had created, where body and mind were so relaxed that not even the thinking being itself could pierce the veil of emptiness as Hiccup had created in his release.

"Yeah…oh…"

The music of the interior faded as the human soloist had worn himself out in his climax, having exerted himself to the apex of his ability. Slowly the orchestra of the forest pierced the darkness into which he had fallen; the light of the world broke through the isolation of bliss. The boy awoke from his conscious dream back to the real world, one where physical objects did not disappear with the conclusion of any action and where choirs of birds and insects went back to their own arrangements, no longer occupied with giving background noise to the grand performance of man.

"Mmh…"

Hiccup sighed, a numbing soreness arose from the back and interior of his thighs as his body came down from his self induced high. He opened his eyes that were sensitive to the golden light of the summer afternoon that shone down through the green canopy. Vines slithered their way up trees, branches of different species did battle for precious solar love. Hiccup sat in the decaying remains of many a winter's casualties, every subtle movement of his body resulting in the rustling of the bed of leaves in which he sat. Peering at the object by which he had put himself into such a nearly catatonic state, he saw the outcome of his actions.

He remembered the first time he had ever seen it following his first time-where he did not know how exactly such a thing came about and was terrified when he had no means to control it. He had quickly learned to how to be discreet about an orgasm and how to best hide it. When indoors and such things had to be secret, some scraps of paper-despite being an expensive luxury-could be afforded to contain release when it came. In the warmer weather however, nature itself became his receptacle, a welcoming and safe place for him to explore all that his body had to offer. Still, the sight of the end result always had the vaguely unsettling aura to it. The white fluid that would either be found on the underside of parchment or on a pile of leaves always seemed to mock him, to insult his lack of discipline that made it very easy for him to indulge in this enjoyment of the flesh. To see a part of himself outside his own body, expelled by his own will was unsettling, a manner of temporary depression that came from collapsing from the high that had led to such a sight in the first place. Not that this could ever stop him from diving back into the pool of ecstasy for long. Escape into his own world was too alluring an indulgence for a brief bout of sadness to deter him from the call of his lust.

With his right hand he reached for some nearby leaves, ones that had transcended the brittle nature of death and had become soft with being trampled underfoot by innumerable creatures of the forests. Careful to not use any of the dirtier ones he'd found, he brushed off the tip of his penis where some of the fluid had failed to fly into the ground and coated him in a translucent sheen. He grunted at the sensitivity of the area as blood continued to slowly flow back out and render it soft.

As his head shifted with the satisfaction in feeling the well worn and satisfied skin, he switched positions in his chair of tree roots. As his posture shifted the leaves continued to rustle. What more distant movements of the forest floor he heard could only be attributed to the wind that swirled through the tress and sought out his hot skin to relive him. He had fallen from his grace and was now fully back within the realm of consciousness, his heart steadying and blood slowing. With thoroughly exercised fingers he reached down for the waistline of his pants that had been moved down to his knees to give him the space necessary to indulge himself. The leaves around him and those beyond his vision continued to crunch and crumble with his movements.

Now, with his body relieved he was at a loss at what to do. Explore the forest some more? Head back and see Toothless? Find Astrid and see what she was doing? All were possibilities now that he was reinvigorated with energy following his great expulsion. With legs that were at first weak and threatening to give out from under him with the way his undergarments gripped his still sensitive sex, he pushed himself up and pushed the debris of the forest floor off of his clothes. As his own feet kicked up leaves and shuffled across the ground there was an equally loud rustle that approached from behind him, one that was growing more pronounced and distinguishable from the usual background noise of the woods. His eyes stuttering for a moment, Hiccup turned to face what he assumed to be the wind, his mind too blackened by pleasure to consider different options.

"Gah!"

Stepping out from the security of the tree, he came face to face with what for a brief moment he considered a demon that had spawned from the trees themselves. Instead, his mind momentarily calmed at realizing it was only the dark hide of Toothless, who sat back on all four legs and turned his head at the boy's jump of fright. Large green eyes stared into Hiccup's own, the air between them quiet for a moment before the dragon spoke in his low voice within the recently cleared head of the boy.

_::Hello Hiccup. I knew if I followed the scent I would find you here.::_

"Toothless! Toothless what are….what are you…you were looking for me? Why aren't you with the supplies? Where we made camp?" Hiccup's brain suddenly went berserk with organizing information and considering what he may have to say as he was catapulted from relaxation to stress in an instant.

_::I grew tired of being near the sunlight and since there are clearly no other people around this area I decided that I might find some interesting ways to pass the time if I found either you or Astrid. I detected your presence first and have made my way here. Are you alright? You seem to be in distress.::_

"No! No Toothless I'm fine really. No I was-yeah you know what I-"

Hiccup stopped with an agonized heart as Toothless sniffed at the air. After a few inhales he started forward, eyes narrow and caught in a pursuit that was quickly making Hiccup wish he were never born with certain elements of his physiology.

_::What is that smell? I believe I have encountered this before-at least something similar during Astrid's rather strange emotional state back in the land of the Normans. Why does such an odor always seem to be present when both of you are acting strange?::_

Hiccup began walking backwards in front of Toothless, trying to stay ahead of the inquisitive dragon as he was backed up towards the tree he had just rounded. "Wha-I-I don't really know what you're talking about…no I-"

_::No…there is most definitely a connectio…::_

Toothless stopped as he rounded the curve of the tree and found the depression at the roots where Hiccup had been sitting. Hiccup could see the crumpled leaves where he had cleaned himself and the deposit at the gnarls of one of the roots where the residue was quite visible. Frightened of any conversation on the matter and with an adrenaline not based in passion but in fear the boy rushed to the spot and started to kick leaves about and towards the root, trying to appear inconspicuous but knowing that even this behavior was going to draw speculation and questions from the interrogating reptile.

_::What is wrong? Why are you so panicked? Is there a threat nearby?::_

Hiccup almost envied the innocence of the dragon, so oblivious to the darker demands of the human body. He felt a nervous lump forming in the back of his throat as his mind raced itself to exhaustion, trying to think of some way to make this situation not become horribly embarrassing. Still trying to concoct a way out of this he shook his head, leaving the dragon to consider other options as it eyed the boy with curiosity.

_::I think it strange that this odor accompanies both you and Astrid being in such strange and emotional states. It is as though the both of you are performing the same action, an action that would result in such a smell and a resulting uncomfortable state of mind when confronted by others…::_

Toothless drew his nose away from the leaves much to Hiccup's relief as the dragon pondered his own thoughts. Hiccup was torn between two options, to tell the truth (to whatever extent was not soul crushingly humiliating and awkward) or come up with some manner of falsehood to try and throw the dragon off track.

_::Considering that it smells unlike any of the other scents I know humans capable of making, I suppose the best theory I can present would be that has something to do with human mating rituals which I am yet to closely observe. Yet Astrid nor any other female is nearby from what I understand, so how can this be?::_

Hiccup felt as though his skin was so hot that it may in fact melt off his face. His knees were threatening to give out on him with every moment he continued to stand. Throwing caution and dignity to the wind he decided that his best bet was simply to be honest and see if he could direct the conversation into a more neutral realm instead of keeping it focused on him.

"Well…yes Toothless there was…well yes I guess you could call it mating-"

_::So there IS another female nearby that you have taken as a mate? I am sure Astrid would dissap-::_

"No! No there was nobody else it was just sort of…" Hiccup went to move his left hand through his hair, thought about where it had been and switched to his right as he continued. "…I was-well I was just-it was just me. By myself."

A long pause that made Hiccup wish he was at the end of a sword passed between the internally agonized human and the outwardly perplexed dragon.

_::Mating…with yourself? How does one mate with the self? If you were capable of mating with yourself this whole time why in the name of the Moon Goddess did we ever bother taking Astrid with us?::_

Toothless truly failed to comprehend Hiccup's subtle hints of body posture or language, the idea that the boy was trying to convey being totally foreign to the beast that knew only logic and the standard duality of sexuality. Toothless perked his ears and widened his eyes, truly intrigued by this strange concept that made Hiccup feel that death was a better option than this conversation.

"Well no Toothless it's-it's not as though I was _actually_ mating with myself it was…it's…uh…"

_::If you were not mating with yourself then what is it that you are referring to? Do humans have some means to mate with the self that I was unaware of? If so then why? Such a thing seems counterproductive to the act of mating itself.::_

"Uh…well Toothless it's…when people are very…uh…_excited_ about a certain mating partner they-they will sometimes do-do things so that they can hold themselves over until they can find a mate. It is how we stop ourselves from taking mates every time we uh…want to mate."

_::So you were performing this self mating in order to hold yourself over for when you are finally allowed to mate? It is merely a substitution for mating, carrying none of the potential rewards of actual copulation?::_

"Yes! Yes precisely that!" Hiccup found some relief that Toothless' logic allowed for such concepts to be conveyed in a matter of fact and scientific way. He felt that he could actually get out of the situation relatively unscathed now.

_::May I see it?::_

Or not.

"W-w-what! No!" Hiccup stammered forth at the dragon with a frightened and angry tone that even he was scared off. Toothless backed away a few paces at the sudden outburst and lowered his head, knowing he had done something wrong but not quite seeing where he had faltered.

_::Is there any reason why? This whole concept is very new to me and I do not understand it very well. Could you at least describe how it is done so that I may better understand your species as a whole? This is quite the unique trait and I am fascinated by it.::_

Hiccup closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on controlling his humiliated rage at these questions. This was exactly what he had feared, now come into being and interrogating him on one of the most intimate matters of the male psyche.

"I-I-No!" No let's-let's just go find Astrid alright? Maybe-maybe she's doing something interesting eh? That's what you want right? Something interesting to do?" He started forward and passed Toothless, intending to retrace his path towards where they had landed and from there going in the other direction to where he had seen Astrid going earlier that day.

_::I merely want to understand how this works. You were at one point fascinated by my ability to fly for it was foreign to humans, how is this any different?::_

"It just is! It's very…this is a very private matter that humans don't like to discuss with other people, _least of all_ dragons. Can we please, _please_ drop this?"

The dragon followed behind the boy at a few paces distance and kept up his questions, making Hiccup quickly regret his assumption that honesty was the best possibility in this situation.

_::Why is this such a private matter? From what I understand humans seem to be very willing to flaunt their sexuality when given the opportunity. How is demonstrating your -what I assume to be- impressive abilities to mate with yourself any different?::_

"Toothless…"

_::Why are so unwilling to demonstrate this remarkable human ability whereas you have freely disclosed information on all others?::_

Hiccup stopped and caused the dragon to do the same. He turned on the heels of his feet and presented both arms to the dragon, face vainly attempting to hold on to whatever small scraps of dignity he had left. With raging, indignant eyes he stared the dragon down, trying to win himself some manner of victory in this disastrous conversation.

"Alright, let's make this very clear _right now_." He stopped and contemplated the absurdity of his next sentence, knowing that he was undoubtedly the first person in history to say the following words and-he prayed- he would also be the last. "I am NOT! MASTURBATING! IN FRONT OF! MY! DRAGON! End of discussion! Now please…_please_ let's just go find Astrid alright?"

He turned around in the same manner as he had addressed the dragon and pushed onward into the woods, the soloist departing from the stage and leaving the rest of nature to carry on in different songs without him. Toothless followed close behind, momentarily silenced but left no less satisfied with the answers he had received.

_::Masturbation? What a strange word…::_

"End of discussion!"

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

It took a good deal of time, but Toothless gradually gave up on trying to extract information from Hiccup as he found the boy adamant in his refusal to share. No matter how much the dragon insisted that his interest was based in genuine curiosity as he pressed for facts and details, the human revealed nothing. Gradually, Toothless came to accept that humans preferred to keep things that they apparently all did secret from one another, despite the hidden knowledge of it that Hiccup inferred them all to have. For Toothless, only harmful things should be kept within the mind, and only then until the proper time to reveal such information. To refuse mention of such an obvious reality of the human self perplexed the dragon, but he understood that humans were a strange species. How they had come to settle the world in such large numbers he could not understand, but he was content to let this be yet another one of their mysteries.

They had marched through the woods until the sun had gradually fallen to where it was neither the afternoon nor evening. The world was saturated with the golden rays of the sun that struck in long, obtuse angels, illuminating the forest with an aura that opened the heart to the soft whispers of the divine. The greenery of nature as it flourished its beauty was welcome for all to see, seemingly polished with the light of the sun as every tree reach skyward, chasing their source of nourishment as children do for an all powerful, forever giving mother. Nature was present in full regalia, in the most robust and vibrant state that it could be in for this year before it was forced to recede and plan its demonstrations for the next great flourishing.

Having doubled back past the shining field of grain, Hiccup and Toothless went towards the opposite edge of the forest that surrounded some manner of farmland that they had not bothered to inspect properly. Small plants sprouted from beneath the forest floor, seeking to partake in the beauty of life for however short a time before the scythe of Winter would cut all but the strongest and best adapted plant down, daring the strongest to attempt to bloom again when Spring returned. The melodies of birds that had recently been the music of Hiccup's fantasy were now only white noise to the boy and dragon as they continued their search. She had to be around here somewhere, unless she had already gone back another way and was awaiting them at camp. It was a possibility, but Hiccup continued in his drive to find her out in the woods. He could not tolerate being sedentary now that he had suffered humiliation at Toothless' ignorance. He needed movement, needed different company than a reptile that could never possibly comprehend the intricacies of the human desire for love.

"She has to be around here somewhere. She couldn't have gone _too_ far could she have? Astrid?" He called to the forest in a normal voice. Farther ahead he could hear what sounded like water, a monotonous crash of fluid against rock. He assumed either some manner of river or waterfall lay beyond the steep hill that was steadily approaching.

_::Why do you not just shout for her? You do have a loud and obnoxious voice sometimes, I am sure it could carry well enough in this wood.::_

"Eh…I don't want her to think I'm so desperate that I can't survive a day without her. I want this to just be me uncovering her here in the woods and it's no big deal. Make sense?"

_::So you want to find her yet not find her? To pretend that you are not in any rush to find her?::_

"Well I'm really not." He scoffed as boy and dragon began to ascend up the steady slope, from beyond which came the roar of water in motion. The forest floor was itself an instrument of music, crunching beneath Hiccup's feet and swooshing with every swing of Toothless' tail. The tress grew less in number and more spaced apart the farther they marched. Perhaps if they got to the top Hiccup would be able to see Astrid with the height advantage. He certainly hoped so; he was getting tired of walking and was hoping to finally reconvene with her and to relax at last.

_::Well if you were in no rush to see her there would be no need for you to be here since you could wait. I believe what you mean to say is that you wish to be with her so that it does not being in my company anymore, since you are clearly uncomfortable with me at all bringing up the fact of your "self mating", despite there being no reason I can think of for you being uncomfortab-::_

"Toothless! What was the agreement we came to?"

_::To not talk of the matter. But I am not speaking of the matter; I am speaking about the possibility of speaking about the matter. There is a difference.::_

"Of course there is…" Hiccup grumbled, hoping to bury the conversation with a neutral and dismissive statement. Gripping the ground was proving more difficult with each step as the incline increased. Hiccup pushed on as the crest of the hill drew near, the call of the water drawing nearer as a thin line of trees crowned the top, roots jutting out from the thin and steep peak and hiding beneath the cover of many a winter's dead leaves. Straining his calves he continued on, Toothless keeping a few paces behind as light shone from the beyond the crest in a curving arc, the sound of water growing louder and louder and beginning to drone out the sounds of the crunched leaves underfoot.

_::And being as it is that there is a difference I feel-::_

"Get down!" Hiccup suddenly dropped to the ground and held up a palm to Toothless for him to quiet. Something from over the crest had startled the boy, and the dragon made his way forward to see what it possibly could have been. Hiccup gripped the ground, his hands clasping at piles of leaves that crumbled in his grip. His breathing had grown fast and his eyes were wide open, contrasting an ambiguous smirk on his face that could not be adequately placed as either terror or joy.

_::What? What is-::_

"Quiet! She'll hear you!" He whispered to the creature with bitter frustration. Toothless kept low to the ground but tilted his head, clearly interested in the particular pronoun Hiccup had used. He crawled forward with the boy as they slithered forward to the crest, using what trees there were to cover themselves as they rounded the top and saw the vista before them.

Objectively, nature itself was the thing of beauty to be admired in both their eyes. A wide waterfall flowed over a cliff directly across from the hill Hiccup and Toothless lay upon, clear waters gently tumbling down the façade. The water did not come in thick clumps, but in a steady and tranquil flow that splattered into mist at the bottom, rising up in faint clouds that gradually scattered across the waters and dispersed along the pond and the surrounding ground.

The land itself was a depression between Hiccup's hill and the cliff on the far side, mostly occupied by a pond created by the rushing waters. With the pond itself was a mostly flat platform of grey rock that rose from the middle and provided a pathway right to the waterfall. The still waters of the pond was a serenely translucent shade that spoke to the unspoiled qualities of this place, as yet to be defiled by the needs of human civilization. Such waters flowed away into a river that would surely form an even larger one, but Hiccup could not be distracted by thoughts such as these for now. There was a far more interesting object that he could see within the mists of the waterfall, one that shone with a golden luster and called for his attention despite not knowing that he was there.

He'd thought about how this moment would have happened and had many possible scenarios fleshed out in his mind. This had certainly been a possibility but not one he had considered very likely. Yet there she was, Astrid Hofferson dressed only in her skin in full view of the rest of the world. Hiccup had always contemplated what lay beneath all the clothing, what her true form was when removed from the necessary restrictions any society puts on displaying the body. Now it was here, in the tranquility of this isolated place the finest beauty Hiccup had ever known could finally be realized.

"Oh-oh gods…"

Standing on the hard rock were her feet, appearing slightly more calloused than his own but of the distinctly feminine build that could make even such trivial and regular aspects of the body attractive even when they had no right to be. Rising up from the feet were her legs, visibly rough from training but no less entrancing. They were slender and appeared smooth from a distance, without any visibly noticeable hair that contrasted her skin, which grew even paler than it already was as he followed the skin up further towards her thighs, well toned and tight, hiding strong muscles beneath the skin that resembled a porous, organic marble that made the stone which lined places of faith and burial envious in their lackluster appearance.

Continuing up was an object that had for so long been the greatest mystery about Astrid-and all women as far as Hiccup was concerned. He held vague notions as he had for her entire naked form, but this was an area that was the most difficult to visualize without experiencing it firsthand. There were no physical characteristics that could distinguish it from beneath clothing nor was it often talked about. All the boy knew was that it was the special area where a man and woman were united, physical details would be left to the beholder. As Astrid moved around slowly beneath the cascading waters, her legs shifted around this point. Her face was turned downward but her front was still exposed, the very definition of the female body presented and revealing its true form to the boy. He wasn't sure what he should have expected, but the simple vertical line created by two distinct folds of skin was enough to satisfy his curiosity. The entire area was protected by a thicker coating of hair than he had seen on her legs, hair that was a duplicate of the astral aura that she wore on her head, that started from the peak of the fold and spread out towards the tops of her inner thighs, a crown to adorn the blessed item that made her who she was.

_::Is it not wrong to be spying on-::_

"Shh…she could hear you…" Hiccup turned to the dragon that obediently kept its cover near the boy as the human only revealed his eyes above the crest of the hill. He knew he had to silence the beast and use whatever demented form of logic he could concoct to justify what he knew in his heart to be less than noble behavior. "Yes alright maybe it's not exactly…_right_ to be looking at her right now without her permission but-but we're-I'm only doing it because it was an accident. Once it no longer becomes an accident then it's wrong, alright?"

_::…That makes no sense.::_

"I know…but shut up!"

Beyond this point her abdomen appeared, as well toned as her thighs with enough body fat to give it a healthy, robust appearance that concealed the strength of her core hidden beneath. Rising above this as majestic mountains do over humble plains were the firmaments of flesh that were her breasts, having been felt by him several times but yet to be totally revealed. They were of a sensible size where they could be almost be fully held within Hiccup's hands, and like so much of her body that was not regularly exposed to the tribulations of sunlight were of her true, ivory tone. As she righted her head and turned it upward, letting the waters fall directly upon her face he could behold these breasts more clearly, as the interior was weighed down by gravity and the natural curves could be fully realized as a shallow ridge was formed along her sternum. The flesh was pushed outward by its own weight, giving a well rounded appearance to both breasts, each adorned with a small patch of rose from which nipples-perked from the cold of the water-appeared in an alert and ready position.

Finally, stretching up from these equally beautiful if technically less important objects unique to the feminine body he could see her face, that which he always saw but never atop of a body presented towards him in the honesty of the naked form. She still had not spotted either him or Toothless, and went about her bathing inconspicuously, humming an old tune that barely carried over the raging mists, this being one place where nature could not allow any soloist-no matter the tranquil beauty of her voice-to surpass its own sound. She ran her finger through her hair, parting the thick clumps that had formed from the water.

Hiccup could feel his body nearly trembling at this sight and a steady growth in an area of his body that he thought to have settled down for the day. This was her, Astrid at her most basic construction. A singular body to represent the finest potential for the female form. She was in the process of maturation, coming into what would eventually be her final evolution of body. Yet for now there was still a distinct aura of youth about her, a distinct appearance to her body that only girls of such an age could produce. While their bodies adapted to the proper feminine form, one could not forget their youth, their cherished innocence that could allow the body to be worshipped for the sake of form while not for the various uses of that form. She was walking upon the narrow path of youthful innocence and mature physicality, her body emerging into the realm of womanhood and slowly casting off the necessary limits of youth. Her image was powerful in its appeal yet so delicate in form, caught in the unique moment of time where the conflict of sexuality and purity was at its zenith.

Her voice rose from the waters, becoming louder as the melody echoed against the hills and touched at Hiccup's ear like a reassuring whisper on dark nights. It was nothing of legendery quality, but was of fair enough composition to bring joy to the ear. The voice danced in the center of the female register, strong in how it was pronounced but delicate in melody, a soft and warming sound reminiscent of those mothers sing to their young.

Hiccup could recall the melody-just barely- from what wedding celebrations he had attended back on Berk. This was often a popular favorite later in the evening, by the time the bride and husband had gone off to consummate and the revelers were left in the hall in a tired and drunken haze. The musicians would use this tune to settle people's hearts and put them into a restful state. The already long married couples would grow close with this piece, drawing the other in delicate holds and giving light kisses on the head as a gesture of love. It hardly seemed like the kind of tune Astrid would care for, yes the barely audible peaks and held over notes were there, proclaimed with what felt like a true honesty and appreciation, the voice truly believing in the loving ideals of the distant words she sang.

She went back to humming the melody, rubbing water into her arms as her body curved in the way that is was built to. So fluid and so natural, like the waters beneath which she stood. Like the waters of the outwardly flowing river that seemed to be shifting beneath the surface, where the misty haze and Hiccup's poor view of the tree branches conspired against him to form delirious visions of serpents racing after her.

"Toothless…I think there are snakes over there. Astrid-she's in danger."

_::Snakes? Are you sure?::_

"I-I think so. Oh gods she's not even looking at them…I-I-" He knew this next decision might cost him dearly, but the slithering creatures that he saw closing in on her were too much of a threat to ignore. Gathering his courage and stowing away his nervousness he formed words on his tongue and stood up to make himself visible, Toothless doing the same to address the supposed the threat the boy saw.

"Astrid! Look out!"

She turned around at looked at Hiccup with a sudden look of embarrassed panic, one hand going to conceal her groin and a second arm slapping over her breasts. "Hiccup?!"

Toothless had already lunged down the hill and Hiccup was following close behind him. While Toothless ran towards the mist where he as well could see the abstract and serpentine outlines that the mist transformed into malevolent serpents, Hiccup raced towards the rock platform that jutted out from the shore to protect Astrid, who looked at him in a bewildered awe after quickly looking around and finding nothing of worry. The boy was quick to leap onto the rock and run towards Astrid as Toothless unleashed his fire upon the vines.

"Get down!" Overtaken with a zealous desire to protect, Hiccup made an honest move at grabbing Astrid by the waist and pulling her into the water as wood, rock and water all exploded into a destructive haze as they resurfaced.

"What the-Hiccup!" Astrid broke away from his hold quickly and looked at where Toothless had shot, seeing nothing but crumbling stone and the burnt edges of green vines. Toothless-at seeing the same and analyzing the area with his other senses fell back upon his hind legs and lowered his ears in disappointment.

_::Hiccup…I believe your eyes have deceived both of us. I smell no serpents here, only the water and the plant life I have freshly burnt. Were either of you injured? I was not sure if you escaped in time or not.::_

"No-no Toothless we're fine really." Hiccup muttered, knowing that this was a screw up he was quickly going to regret.

"Yeah Toothless, everybody's fine over here, but could you-could you give us some privacy please?" Astrid spoke up, directing her gaze to Toothless with a determination to be understood and obeyed that a woman only breaks out in the most necessary of circumstances. Hiccup felt a nervous ball forming in the back of his throat and his heart picking up speed again. If his legs were not already fighting a tough battle to stay afloat from the weight of his boots, they would have begun knocking together.

_::Privacy? Is there a specific reason?::_

"Toothless…Hiccup and I need to _talk_. Alright?"

_::Oh. About his interest in your naked form? Yes I was trying to tell him that he was acting in dishonest ways but he would not listen to reason of course.::_

"Thanks for the help bud!" Hiccup yelled from his strenuous wade in the middle of the waters, cautious that if he tried to make any move Astrid would drown him right then and there.

_::I am merely presenting facts as they are. You were the one that came across her as we were searching, you had the option to respect the privacy that you humans hold so dear. I was but an observer to your observation.::_

"Does that imply that you were watching me as well Toothless?" Astrid asked, sporting a snarl that could not be placed to any one of the more malevolent emotions but instead encapsulated them all.

_::Well in that case I should best leave the two of you alone, I am after all a creature that respects privacy. Good luck Hiccup.::_

"Toothless get back here!" Hiccup called to the dragon that would never admit a fault of his own when it was not beneficial for him to do so. Toothless used what flaps of his wings he could manage to gain a rapid start and scurried his way back up the hill and vanished down the far side, the reverberations of his footsteps and the slowly fading sound of crunching leaves guaranteeing to both humans that he was in fact making good headway. After waiting for a few moments to ensure a proper change of mood, Astrid reached a hand over to Hiccup's collar and swam over to the rock platform.

"Come on!" She gave him a lift and the boy quickly dragged his soaked and heavy clothes up onto the rock, which was more or less dry save where the waterfall and its mist crashed down upon it. Astrid hoisted herself up onto the rock easily enough and spared no instant in dragging Hiccup up to his feet, grabbing his chin and making sure his face was level with her own.

"Astrid it was an accident! I didn't _mean_ to find you like this I-ow!"

"Pervert!"

He closed his eyes and shirked away as the girl landed a tough punch with great anger behind it on his arm, his shirt making a low splattering sound as the boy nearly fell back into the water upon his recoil backwards. As he steadied himself back on his feet again he tried to shake away the pain in the way that he had done for so long when beatings were a regular occurrence. He looked to Astrid expecting another blow right to his eyes whose curiosity had gotten him into this mess in the first place. Instead she reached out an arm to him and dragged him forward, she taking steps back in turn and bringing them to the center of the rock.

"That's for spying on me naked. Now…take 'em off."

Hiccup was motionless a moment, as if the command had come in a different language. He was using all his discipline to keep staring directly into Astrid's dictating eyes, even if the drips of water coming from her breasts were a siren's call to his vision.

"Wha-"

"You heard me. You're looking at me naked; it's only fair I get to see you the same way. Take it off. _All_ of it." She didn't seem to blink; there was no real emotion besides some kind of twisted vengeance writ upon her face. Both kept their faces locked on each other's, embracing a moment of silence between them before Astrid realized that it would take a softening of her stance to get the boy to comply. "Besides, you'll get a rash if you keep those wet clothes on. Take them off and let them dry where the sun hits the rock."

Hiccup lowered his head and made sure Astrid saw that his eyes were turned to his own chest. While he felt there some embarrassment to be had in being _forced_ to strip, the actual act of doing so in front of Astrid did hold an appeal. He could agree to her motion for fairness between them of course, and there was the fact that he and Astrid would be naked together, alone. Even if nothing came of it, it was a step forward towards his own desires that made compliance to humiliation all the more appealing.

"Uh…alright. Only fair I guess. Here-here I go."

He started with his tunic, dragging the dripping wet garment off and wringing it out, letting the water splatter on the rock before he handed it to Astrid, who deposited it on the sun lit stone to dry. The water that had gone under his loose shirt covered his chest in a slick, gossamer layer of water akin to the one that Astrid sported. He could feel her eyes digging into his chest, but he could not understand why. He could not see much in his wiry and un-toned abdomen nor his thin, weak pectoral muscles that could warrant such attention. Was it the thin wisps of hair that converged from both sides of his breast and into a line that ran down his sternum and all the way the bottom of his abdomen what she was staring at? He'd always just considered it a rather annoying formation of body hair that would never achieve the usual thickness or dark color of the regular Viking, but he wasn't going to complain for being admired.

Second came his boots and the accompanying socks, as equally waterlogged. Hiccup winced at thinking about how long they would take to dry, but that could not be his most pressing concern for the moment. As Astrid turned to best position the boots in the sun he couldn't help but glance at her ass, finding that the sight of her bent over-even for such a neutral task as arranging boots-stirred a sudden surge in blood in his groin that fought back against the cold waters that that were still uncomfortably present there. It was almost as though she was toying with him, taking extra time in her bend and tempting him to admire the way each cheek flowed so seamlessly into her thighs or the way that they separated just enough to reveal an entrancing shadow that hung over the interior valley, a place that was not the most practical for sex but that for some odd reason held so much appeal to the matter.

Honesty was a great virtue but a cruel punishment for the naked human form-especially for one without confidence in his own. Astrid turned back to him with a mischievous smile, confusing him even more so as to whether or not she had been intentional in her erotic performance. She smirked as her eyes fell lower upon his body and traced the auburn hairs all the way down to where they disappeared beneath the hem of his pants. Hiccup was feeling slightly exposed the longer she stared, appreciating her appreciation but wishing she didn't have to be so obviously excessive about her curiosity.

"Now…" She pointed with a single finger to his pants, still with that annoying smile of playful curiosity that was driving Hiccup wild with a want to just get the occasion over with. "Well…you can see what I've got; it's about time I finally saw what's pressing into me every time I sleep next to you."

"Alright…just-just…" Hiccup stopped himself, unsure of where exactly he was going with this path of thought. His fingers slid down his sides and towards the waist, he could feel indecision in his groin as to whether or not he should find stripping down for the girl he loved arousing in this circumstance.

"Just what?" Astrid asked, genuinely interested in whether or not the boy intended to be hypocritical and deny her seeing that most sensitive part of his person where he was clearly still peeking glances at her own. Her prior humiliation had faded into acceptance. They were going to see each other naked eventually, if now was the time she was going to embrace it wholeheartedly.

"Just…no judging alright?"

"Wh-what?" Astrid didn't understand the sentiment or what Hiccup was trying to imply by it. What was there to judge? Did he expect her to cast him out at the sight of it? Was something wrong with it? She couldn't think of what it could be, and failed to grasp his sudden paranoia.

"N-nothing. Never mind. Here-here we go…" Despite the moisture in the fabric making the trousers stick to his legs, Hiccup managed to get the whole ensemble down in a few good motions. Astrid averted her eyes at first as she took the clothes and laid them on the sun lit rock, before taking a deep breath and turning back to finally see Hiccup in his truest form.

It had honestly been exactly what she expected, but the real flesh and bone was nonetheless far more satisfying than whatever vague outlines and considerations she had in her mind. He had far less visible hair than she had seen on most of the other men back on Berk and certainly did not take after his father in that regard. His feet looked so tender, so delicate and unlike the calloused and battle worn appendages she'd seen on Berk's older generations. His legs were coated in finer hair that-while no less in number than any regular man-was of a light auburn reminiscent of the hair on his head that blended in better with the pale skin that only became more fair that farther up his leg she looked. She was seeing that he was much the same all over, not so much hairless, but with what hair he had being thinner, softer looking and lighter to compliment his skin. He had little in ways of more obvious muscle, but showed signs of slow and steady development beneath the veneer of his skin.

Finally, knowing she couldn't avoid it any longer she focused on a certain element of his form that obstructed the otherwise linear and logical construction of the male body, an abstraction that made he as much a man as Astrid knew her own abstractions made her a woman. She hadn't been sure what to think or say when she first saw it, this foreign and distinctly "other" object that made Hiccup who he was. The hair that surrounded the area was noticeably thicker and several shades darker than on the rest of his body and curled at the tip to create a dense kind of web. The important tissue itself was a fascinating item, with an interior she knew to harden when aroused covered by a thicker cloak that disguised the mauve head hidden beneath. She was beginning to understand what he had meant by not judging now, seeing what the pride of all men was in a state such as this-cold, exposed and nervous. Still, this part of him and the odd, fleshy sack beneath that accompanied it were a distinguishing part of the boy she loved, and she knew that regardless of how it looked now, she felt that when the time was right every part of it would be dearly appreciated.

"Turn around." She asked of him, and Hiccup quickly complied-head hung low and obviously nervous about how he was being perceived. Presenting his entire backside to her, Astrid couldn't help but smile at what she saw, and knew that she couldn't be hard on the boy any longer. "Face me again." As she said, he did. Though his head still hung in a nervous anticipation, Astrid could see a nervous smile developing upon his lips, as though he could actually sense her appreciation. She walked forward and brought a finger to his chest, spreading apart the hairs and slowly tracing her way up his throat until she reached her chin, pulling his head up so that they could properly see each other again before pressing her lips against his, leaning in with her chest for now so as not to bring any more serious body parts into contact.

"You really don't know just how cute you are do you?" She asked quietly as she pulled away, leaving Hiccup expressionless at hearing such an honest, genuine compliment about his bare form-among the highest kind of flatteries there are.

"Well-well I mean I'm not _that_-"

"Oh yes you are. You've got a great ass, did you know that?"

"That's-you care about that?"

"Yeah. Don't know why, girls just do." She said playfully, running a few fingers into Hiccup's hair and settling into a gentle caress behind his right ear. She could feel the anxiety fading away from the boy and a new confidence in his naked self arising as he finally heard from a voice other than own desperate interior dialogue compliment his form.

"T-Thank you…you've-you've got a great ass yourself." He muttered out, still a little sheepish about being too forward but feeling that now was a circumstance where he could finally say so many of the things he had thought about her when seeing her beneath the waterfall.

"Oh really?" She gave a quick laugh of appreciation as both her hands now slid lower on Hiccup's person, sliding down to his waist and then departing to find his hands, having long abandoned the callous nature of the blacksmith and taken on the only slightly worn and tough manner of handling Toothless' harness. She wrapped them around to the small of her back and lowered them, spreading his finger across her gluteus slowly and allowing Hiccup to take control from there, ecstatic at the way he was quick to take an appreciation for what he held and tenderly moving his digits across the flesh. Leaving him to feel her, she reached her own hands back over to the ass she had so recently seen and taken a liking to even more so than when it was concealed by clothing. His own was soft, coated in much of the fine hair she found on the rest of his body that was still moist from his recent dunk. Both their bodies were wet even as the sun bore down upon them, the evaporation relieving them from the summer heat and giving a radiance to each body as the water slowly faded into the air.

"How does it feel?" She whispered into his ear, her fingers spreading down the valley of his ass to find more hair that she found amusing at spreading apart as she tightened her grip on him possessively, finding he was more than willing to do the same to her in a way she found oddly arousing. She may have had him, but he had let her take a hold on her and she found she was enjoying it, being held as much as she held someone else.

"Mmh…feels good. Feels real good." He whispered back as his palms spread out to grab as much of her as he could, his body growing cool and fingers stiff with an ecstatic joy of an event so long anticipated and now literally within his grasp. However, with this opportunity came an uncontrollable surge of blood and excitement in his groin, one that no chain could hold back nor any amount of human willpower overcome. The will of the primitive man that haunts all civilization began to surge forward, desiring that which was so close and not caring for the conventions of morality or discipline that all people try to place upon such an urge. His hands began to loosen on her and he backed away, drawing Astrid's disdain until she saw the rapidly growing length sprouting from its humble beginnings. "Um…um Astrid I-I…"

"O-oh…" She started, accepting the withdrawal at seeing the hardness she had felt so many times now plainly presented before her. While there was embarrassment to be had at this sudden escalation, she couldn't help but smile at finally seeing that which she knew would be hers, forever and always whenever she was ready to claim it. Hiccup tried to look away and innocently divert attention away from the awkward appearance of that which knew no end to proper attention, but quickly realized there was no denying welcome to the sudden guest among the two lovers.

"S-Sorry. It's uh…can't exactly control this thing very well. If you-"

"That's alright…I know "the beast" can't be controlled that easy."

This one statement brought a sudden laugh out of Hiccup that almost sent him to the ground and made his length wobble as the undulations of laughter permeated his body. Astrid couldn't help being dragged into the laughter at seeing such a thing, and the two took a good moment to let the humor pass and regain control of their bodies.

"Yes um…sorry you have to see…"the beast" when it's awake. I mean if you're uncomfortable-"

"I'm _not _uncomfortable with it Hiccup!" She walked towards him but found Hiccup was trying to shy away from her attention, seemingly frightened of her approach. Concerned for the boy's concern, Astrid stopped a few paces away and narrowed her eyes in confusion.

"What?"

Hiccup turned back to her at seeing she no longer approached but was still nervous about the erect, almost predatory stance that his sex took when directly facing her. "I just-just don't want you to get too close is all. Don't want you to get too close to…_it._"

"Hic-"

"I know what you said two weeks ago in the lavender field and I don't want…_this_ to make you feel compelled to do anything or for it to seem like I want something or anything like that. It's just-it just comes up like that when aroused and you-well you're very attractive Astrid and-and I'm sorry about all this and-"

"Hiccup…" She raised a hand to him and approached again, an innocent and loving smile on her face and with soft eyes that could see past the boy's nervousness and see better things for the both of them that lay beyond. "…You're damn right I don't want sex and we sure as Hel aren't ready for that…but that doesn't mean we can't-that we can't find other ways to take care of that…_down there._"

Hiccup nearly stumbled back as a noticeable throb pumped through his length. Astrid rolled his eyes at what she could only think to be purposeful exaggeration as she continued forward, taking a few quick steps towards the boy who found himself standing on the edge of the rock and nearly falling into the water. Without hesitation she grabbed him by the length and gently pulled him forward, smiling at the sudden gasp that escaped his throat and the shuddering breaths he made as she pulled him towards the center of the rock. "And just because you can't see it doesn't mean that I'm not as aroused by you as you are of me. There are ways we can deal with both of these feelings without doing something reckless…you know what I'm talking about?" Still holding him tightly she reached for his other hand, and with his more than willing permission shifted it down until it reached her second patch of shorter but no less impressive golden hair and the folds of skin that lay beneath. Astrid manipulated his fingers so that the skin began to spread, and she herself let out a low moan as the underside of one of his knuckles brushed up against that most sensitive spot near the top.

"A-Astrid…"

"I-mean if you want to I can show you how-how I think of you in that special way. And if you want you can show me how you do the same for me. I know you do Hiccup…don't think I wasn't suspecting what you were doing today. If we both want to, why not? We can still have some fun can't we?" She whispered this phrase in multiple parts as she kissed first his lips and then along the side of his neck. Hiccup was quick to return the favor and-while keeping his palm squarely where it was over her treasure- pressed kisses upon her face, starting at her lips and moving across until he found her ear. Parting the damp hair with his nose he placed a small touch of the lips upon her lower lobe before whispering his response.

"Deal. But let's sit by the water…this can get messy…"

"Sure." She conceded as both broke apart for a short but intolerable moment as they moved back to the water's edge and made themselves comfortable. Both sat up and took another kiss before Astrid took the lead and was quick to wrap her digits around Hiccup's hot and eager firmament. Hiccup reciprocated her desires and placed his hand back where it had been. Astrid decided it would be better to set him on the right path first before she distracted him too much.

"Just take a finger…eh we'll make it two…just take them and…" She positioned his index and middle finger at her opening and gently began his insertion for him, giving him the authority to continue as he pleased. "…and just take it nice and slow for now. This is-just be careful." Hiccup could see some red forming on her face and was willing to be that there was some on his own as well. He feared she felt that this was necessary, but a shaking of her hair and a deep breath of confidence on her part reassured him that she was willing to do this of her accord, truly willing for him to do what she was positioning him to do. "When I tell you to, you're going to want to take your other hand and just start rubbing right here." She pointed to that blessed point where the curls of her hair and the folds of her sex converged as she widened her legs to give him more room to maneuver and to make herself more comfortable. "It's really sensitive there…and I like it."

Hiccup was stalled for words for a moment, so overcome with a rush of nervous excitement. This day as well as his life had certainly taken an exciting turn for the better. Thoughts and forever fading images in his mind were now flesh, desires were becoming fulfilled by a fellow participant that was not only happy to give him what he wanted, but wanted him to fulfill the same want in her. But he could ponder on this special moment later, when blood was not flowing frantically in his body and his mind was not absorbed in this raw, carnal moment. He wanted to appreciate and savor this and pushed himself in at a snail's pace, but found Astrid's face disagreeing with his efforts.

"Eh…I mean you're going a bit slow there…"

"Sorry! Let me-is this-?" He suddenly pulled out of her moved in quickly, as if racing to some end he was unaware of. Astrid took her free hand and pulled him out, gasping with shock but trying not to instantly get mad and ruin the moment.

"Easy! No just-here I'll start." She once more took the two fingers she desired most and pushed them in as far as they were willing to go. Still holding firmly onto him she extracted the fingers, cracking a smile at the open mouth of awe on Hiccup's face as he observed his hand going where Astrid knew they would gladly live if given the chance. "It's just like that…in and out. Real easy." She moaned on the last word as she let Hiccup carry on the speed she had established and took a moment to enjoy the advances and retractions of his fingers moving by their own skill. Knowing she could not abandon him however, she redirected her attention once more to the defining feature of Hiccup's anatomy.

"Now…show me what to do here."

"So, you'll want to loosen your grip a little, it's-it's pretty tight." As he said she complied, and with her loosened hold on the length it throbbed in her hand with excitement. Overly thrilled from the occurrence Astrid pulled his foreskin back to reveal the full mauve head hidden beneath and the tight skin that surged with excited blood. She feared for a moment that this was not the way it was supposed to be, but Hiccup's nod of approval eased her nerves. "Good…and from there it's just an easy back and forth until…well until it's over."

"Like this?" She was still gripping him firmly as she tugged the loose skin up and down. While Hiccup did enjoy such a touch when he was closer to the end, he didn't want her to learn such a tactic too early nor think it was the only way to please him.

"Easier. Just a nice ring with your index finger and thumb and-and yes actually that's good."

"Alright…how will I know when's over?"

"Oh you'll know. How about with you?" He asked as he worked his way into a steady rhythm of sliding in and out of Astrid, smiling at the sudden moans he drew out of her with his more audacious pushes forward.

"Oh you'll know as we-oh yeah keep doing that!"

"Mmmh…yeah you do the same. Astrid…oh yeah…"

His voice faded into a whispering gasp as he felt Astrid's thumb rolling over the underside of the tip, whatever exhaustion he had felt after his orgasm earlier that day was gone in the flurry of excitement. The thought of Astrid grabbing him was nothing compared to the feel of her hands-calloused from training but delicate in their intent wrapped nicely around him and gently caressing his entire length.

Her insides likewise were beyond anything that he could have thought, fascinating in their feel and in how they reacted to his penetration. He was surrounded by moisture, his fingers captured by soft, wet tissue that expanded with his pushes and contracted as he withdrew, only to be freshly parted again as he sought to bring Astrid further and further towards her own release. He wanted to know what it looked like, what _she_ was like when her barriers were all let down and the waves of pleasure that captured him in that brief, precious moment filled her as well.

"Astrid…"

"Hiccup…"

In the presence of the sun and with the waterfall providing the choir, two humans now fell once more into the role as the great performer in the natural world. A duet of love sung not with notes but with the body and meant not for consumption by the masses but by the small, intimate audience of the other. To prevent taking too many steps, they indulged in settling with one, in a sudden rush of opportunity and excitement rushing to elicit a response from the other that they each craved themselves. To remain separate they found a way to unite, to prevent going too far they went far enough. Each pull, each push, each twitching of the legs and movement of the head and low, primeval moans that came from the back of their throats drove the other further towards the new peak of a great mountain. Some would fall short of reaching the summit. Others would not only reach the top but would soon dive down towards the bottom in a whirlwind of insatiable carnal appetite. In this moment and for these two young lovers, the effort made towards the peak was intended to do only that, to achieve a perfection between the two that could be preserved until the cold hand of death tore love away from the realm of flesh and freed it forever in the world of the spirit.

"Hiccup...oh Hiccup start-oh yeah start on that spot!"

Seeing-and taking pride in- the fact that he could see Astrid coming closer to her own release than he, Hiccup adjusted his other hand over to her groin and parted both hair and skin to find this spot she had mentioned, a small pearl of skin that drew a strong shaking of her form and a deep moan from her throat at the slightest brushing of it. He began to rub gentle circles around the area and found a great thrill in seeing Astrid writhing in such ecstasy, the interior of her breasts causing the skin to undulate as her chest shook and her head rolled on the neck. It was truly unlike her, the way she was brought into such a vulnerable state by the touching of a small, almost unfairly sensitive spot. Both his hands kept to work, and he shortly found that her interior was contracting around his fingers and her moans becoming loader, her breathing deep and desperate, as though her life were being taken from her in a deliriously happy way. Her breath was frantic as high moans and pants of love were willingly thrown to the wind for him to hear. She seemed to be collapsing forward, as if heaving but without the more negative attributes of such an act.

"Away…stop…" She whispered to him as his hands pulled away-slick with a clear fluid that fascinated Hiccup. Her free hand went to her groin and put a gentle hold on it, yet still not losing her pattern of up and down on Hiccup. Hiccup watched her curiously, observing how her body seemed drained of energy but only for a short time, as though this were but the long exhale before a runner continues their journey. Her smile was intoxicatingly arousing in this moment and he couldn't tell exactly why. What had even happened? Was this-

"Nice…that-that was great." She moaned as she pulled herself back and closer to him, leaning her shoulder firmly against him as she narrowed her grip on and in turn tightened the feeling on Hiccup's underside, drawing a tremble of excitement and large, clear bead from the tip.

"That was-"

"That's what it's like for girls Hiccup. Impressive right? Oh yeah…" She was still gasping with ecstasy and struggling to keep her mind on the situation at hand, but Hiccup appreciated her efforts in keeping some focus on him as well. He was suddenly feeling his own release forming in his legs and in the interior of his pelvis.

"Yes…very impressive. Very attractive too."

"Mmh…?" She hummed in his ear seductively; her breath tingled the sensitive lobe that was has heightened for attention as the rest of his skin at this moment. "Yeah? You think it's nice to see me orgasm Hiccup? You like that?"

"Yes Astrid…" He could barely keep his eyes open as the pressure built, so many stimuli coming at him at once was overloading him, driving him wild with desire for an end to the suffering that was a pleasure such as this. "Yes Astrid I think it's…it's amazing…"

"Oh yeah…yes you like thinking of when I'm coming don't you Hiccup? Go on…think of that Hiccup. Think of me. Think of what you've done to me. Think of how much I like it, and how much I want you to just make me do it again…and again…and again-"

"Astrid…Astrid I-"

"You're going to come because I want you to Hiccup. Because I want to see you as happy as you make me…my love."

That did it.

"Astrid!" The first waves came suddenly and fast, causing Astrid to stop as she saw the male climax for the first time. Hiccup's head lurched forward and nodded back in a delirium of ecstasy as Astrid-not one to be too intimidated by anything-got back to pulling, feeling a slow softening in the hard shaft as Hiccup's legs writhed in the release as that which was supposed to be put better uses spilled forward between his legs and onto Astrid's hand, at which point she released the boy and let the thicker skin that had been pushed down to the bottom of the shaft surge back up to cover the trembling skin. Though Astrid was eager to wash herself (again) now that she could feel the hot liquid on her thumb, she allowed herself to fall on her back as Hiccup had done, slithering her other arm onto his chest as both came down from the body's natural and greatest path to satisfaction.

"Oh…Astrid that-that was…"

"You think "the beast" is going to bother us any more?"

Hiccup chuckled in the lazy way that the mental chaos of receiving orgasm from another person gives to any human being and tucked his head in towards Astrid, seeking now the comfort of only her presence and not her more intimate touch. "No…the beast is satisfied. Are-are you?"

She gave him a kiss on the top of his head as was most convenient, smiling as she returned to his vision. "Of course. You're not too bad at this actually."

"Really?"

"Oh yeah…" She allowed herself to get more comfortable for the moment as her breathing and heart slowed down. The waters still flowed, the birds still sang, nature accepted their performance with a thunderous roar of applause. "And trust me; I'm going to show you how to get better."

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

**Hello Peoples!**

**Yeah….this chapter got longer than I expected. Hope it was worth it though. I spent a lot of time including ALL of Saturday writing this and trying to put my best foot forward with this chapter after what I considered two rather lack luster previous installments. I apologize if I went overboard with imagery and my sometimes flowery language here, but I wanted to push myself with this chapter-which I had envisioned for this story almost since its conception. Perhaps not much in the way of character development, or story advancement here, but I just really wanted to write these two scenes for my amusement and I hope they gave you a good time as well.**

**Much thanks to the always wonderful and insightful "Writer for the Tylwyth Teg" for her valuable thoughts on this chapter that have made it so much better than what it originally was. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. If so, feel free to tell me what you think.**

**With that, it's high time I get going for the next chapter, and with that I trust to see you all back here next week for the next thrilling installment! See you then!**

**-Mc.**


	24. The Fire Still Burns

"Hoist the torches!"

The calm serenity of a cool autumn evening had once again been broken by screaming clouds and spontaneous flames. Ruffnut had been quickly roused from her bed as she and her brother were sent out to fight. Even without a formal declaration to a winner of dragon training around this same time the year before, both were now considered of adult age for Berkian society. They could partake in the politics of the village, hunt by themselves and were considered of marrying age now that their birthday had passed a few weeks ago. Of course, being of such an age also demanded their sweat and toil in active village defense.

As her brother had disregarded his orders and run off to help the older adults that were fighting near the village outskirts, Ruffnut did as she told this time and raced towards the village square, seeking glory for herself and herself alone. After she and her brother had both went to the outskirts on one of their first fighting raids and been scolded heavily for it by their parents, Ruffnut allowed herself to be properly guided in this task so that she may actually stay alive in this very real and dangerous world in which she played an integral part. Though she knew others considered her none too bright, she knew that there was at least one subject where she had some genuine proficiency, and it was a skill that on Berk was often cherished above much higher forms of knowledge for the sake of mutual survival. Equipped with spear, shield, and a knife she had traded for back during early spring she prowled the village streets, ducking from bursts of fire and dancing around other villagers that either went to fight and defend their property or were moving said property as well as the very young and the elderly to safer places to avoid unnecessary casualties.

All followed the routine that had been disciplined into everyone since birth, the techniques for survival during a dragon raid that were for some known better than the names of the gods. As soon as the first screech was heard the torches were raised and the catapults were loaded. All livestock were to be moved towards the forests where they could be better hidden or-if the raid came quickly-hoarded inside where the dragons would have to invest extra energy and fire to flush them out. Younger children were to be sent across the long bridge to the kill ring where there was nothing of value for dragons to go after and one or two warriors could keep watch over them. The rest of the village was mobilized for combat, grabbing what weapons they could and heading out into the frenzy with a war cry and bloodlust. So it went, week after week and year after year, the cycle of perpetual war that had gradually desensitized all to its ravages.

Tonight was a particularly rough attack, Ruffnut could hear the screams and squeals of a multitude of dragons flying above her, concealed to the human eye by darkness but utilizing such cover to fly about and plan their attacks in relative peace. The bigger and older dragons knew enough to stay away from the large torches that were erected throughout the village to try and give illumination to the swarms that all Berk knew flew right above their heads. Younger warriors were encouraged to stay around said torches where the younger and less experienced dragons were more likely to end up. It was a competition of youth, dragons who had only recently grown proficient with their fire against children that had only just learned how to properly use their weapons. It was perhaps the fairest fight that could ever occur during a battle between dragon and human, and while Ruffnut dreamed of a future where she would be able to take on three Monstrous Nightmares all at once, she knew that the current circumstances were the best that she could handle. She tightened the grip on her spear as she raced down the street, dodging a burst of Nadder fire and using her shield to block roof shingles that were blasted towards her from an explosion of Zippleback gas. Lowering her shield she found she nearly collided with a man who was likewise fighting dearly with battleaxe alone and lashed out at flying dragons with quick and powerful strikes from beneath his dark cloak. She passed by him and continued on to the village square, leaving a broken patriarch to fight by himself.

Haldor Hofferson had found that nights like this were his only real consolation in this world. Quiet nights where insects buzzed and the rest of the world was at peace seemed to mock him, took joy in its happiness where he had none. Tranquility was hardly a consolation to him anymore and was if anything an insult, whispering of what and might have been and tempting him with visions of a life he no longer had. It was only here, in the frenzy of combat where all were desperate and fighting for their lives that he could feel alive anymore, could experience what it was like to pierce through the emotionless cloak that had been draped over him for over a year now. To see the world alight with fire, to see people so filled with emotions of fear and anger and anxiety was like a drug that distracted him from his own inner agony and gave him an outlet so that he may channel it into rage.

His axe clipped the feet of a Gronckle and the beast fell to the ground with a thud and pained roar. Haldor was quick to close in on it and swing his axe to the neck, making a good slice that's momentum was only halted by the beast's sturdy spinal column. He withdrew the blade to find blood from the recently severed vessels spurting everywhere. Some landed on his face, but he demonstrated no fear of it. While all Berkians gradually grew familiar with the sight, smell, feel and eventually even the taste of dragon blood, few enjoyed it quite as much as Haldor did-especially in the last twelve months. To him, the thick red liquid smelled like victory, felt like an anointing by Thor himself, looked like the nectar of his life and tasted just as sweet when those few drops inevitably made their way from his face onto his lips and inadvertently onto his tongue. He laughed with a hysterical whine as he went to feel that which had splashed onto his face before making an effort to smear it across his entire head. It had been his brother Finn that had discovered that dragons feared the sight and smell and another dragon's blood, and such was one of many reasons that the Hofferson clan were as respected warriors on Berk as they were. While all were appreciative of this discovery, few could indulge in it as willingly and with as much passion as Haldor did. If it were conceivable, he dreamed of bathing in the liquid and going into battle naked, fulfilling the role of the deranged berserker that had typified his forefathers.

Clearing that blood which threatened to get in his eyes, Haldor charged forward again and sought his next target. While he was beginning to be lauded for the increasingly large numbers of dragons he killed in each raid, he could the see the fear in the other villagers eyes when they saw him fight. Whereas they fought with a desperation to save their homes, Haldor fought only with rage and a desire to spill as much blood as possible. He cared not what age or what species or what manner in which he killed them; he wanted to see every dragon that threatened him dead. He was still laughing in his head about the way they had all looked at him during the last raid when he had found a small and rather pathetic looking Terrible Terror and-instead of giving it a quick death with his axe-had instead enjoyed beating it to death with a rock, slamming the stone into its head until skin, bone, flesh, blood and brain matter were an indistinguishable goo that he squished in his hands. They were soft; the rest of the island was failing to keep up with the brutality necessary to survive on Berk. Haldor only considered himself truly worthy of being called a warrior compared to those that grew squeamish at his actions.

"I need help over here!"

The call came from a nearby house where Haldor saw a pair of Nadders were working their way through the roof and going after the sheep that lay within. Smiling as a sadistic malice overcame him Haldor charged forward with a deep scream of bloodlust that drew one of the Nadder's attention. The purple and gold covered figure squealed at him threateningly but lurched back as it saw that its intimidation did not work. The black cloak that blended in with the night still rushed forward, double sided battle axe dimly glinting in the firelight and without any intention of stopping in its attack. Knowing that battle was near, the dragon let loose a stream of molten fire against the attacker. Seeing the tell-tale signs of this incoming fire Haldor leaped and rolled out of the way of the blaze. While his body was unharmed, his cloak could not escape the fire entirely and caught a light at its fringes. Forever quick on his feet in the midst of battle, Haldor undid the button at the top and threw the cloak off as he lunged forward at the Nadder from the side.

"Come here you bastard!"

The Nadder did exactly as Haldor expected and leaped down from the roof to fight him. Generations of observation had revealed the truth that Nadders often like to fight when challenged one on one-especially if they had back up nearby. Rejoicing in the opportunity to kill this most particularly hated species, Haldor first swung at the creature's wing, slicing through some hollow bone and leathery hide and watching the creature stumble back in pain. It attempted to swipe forward at Haldor with its tail, but the warrior with decades experience was ready for such a move and leapt backwards to avoid the poisoned spines that lay within such an appendage. Safe from harm, the Viking advanced again and this time went for the shoulder, ducking low and swinging his axe over his head he landed a decisive blow against the creature as it wailed and fell forward as the blade was removed, more blood spurting onto Haldor like a gracious red rain.

"Look out!"

A low and booming voice alerted the Hofferson patriarch to the second Nadder that was readying fire in its throat to kill the man. Still clearing some of the blood from his face Haldor could not properly see the beast despite the abounding fires all around. The dragon's burst was halted by a piece of broken wood crashing against the side of its face and distracting it. Such an action was quickly followed up by a smaller but discernibly heavier object that crashed into its side and sent it reeling from the roof of the house. His eyes cleared of blood, Haldor rushed to find the beast and deliver the final blow that he so craved.

"Die!"

As he crossed the side of the house to find the creature, the booming voice resounded against the nearby walls as a weighty war-hammer crashed against the beast's skull and crushing the bone beneath the weapon's blunt force. Haldor lowered his axe and pouted at seeing one of his own kills already taken by chief Stoick, who straightened his back and shook his hammer to get some of the larger bits of brain matter off of it.

"Huh…looks like somebody finally decided to come out of the house." The chief mumbled as he looked to Haldor, a man who could no longer find the nicety or decorum to partake in any other action other than brutal and merciless combat, who had chosen reclusively over company and championed wrath over diplomacy with any other human. He had become a nuisance for the village, but on nights like this he was indispensible.

"Well now I couldn't exactly pass up on such a glorious opportunity as this now could I?" Haldor rebuked as he swung his axe around in his fingers and looked around for more to kill, finding that nothing was close enough to swing at nor brazen enough to land near the both of them. Stoick sighed at the man's bloodlust and tried to hold back his own disgust at the man's blood covered face and clothes. He was a man that craved a certain kind of blood, would long to drink that of a certain dragon and a certain boy if he were given the chance. Life meant little to the man at this point; death was the only thing he desired both for himself and for so many things around him. "Which reminds me, have you-"

"No Haldor. There haven't been any Night Furies tonight the same way there haven't been any since this time last year. If you don't hear it, then it isn't here."

"But they will one day return…I know it." He began to mumble in his higher pitched voice of desperation, that voice which revealed that his mind had temporarily left the world of reality and wandered back into his own world of fantasy where a daughter that Stoick knew had to be a world away at this point was coming back to him. "And when she does…when she does you'll see…" Stoick knew that it would be pointless to try and give any number of logical reasons as to why Astrid wouldn't be coming back to Haldor. There was little point in offering reason to a man who was too obsessed with his own emotions to contemplate such things.

"I'm sure we will..."

"Yes!" The man leaped into the darkness and disappeared as he went off to continue his hunt for blood and a never quenched thirst for vengeance. Stoick let the man chase a never achieved high of satisfaction in death and went about his own business, trying to ignore his own concerns with the man and focusing on the greater task at hand of protecting his village. He decided that it was best for him to check on the village square and see how the younger warriors were doing, perhaps to give them some inspiration during this dark time.

This was the first raid in a few weeks-Berk was thankful for being given the mercy of few if any dragon raids on most harvest seasons for reasons that they took for granted and did not question. But the dragons were now hitting with great force and a maniacal desperation unlike any other attack Stoick could recall in recent memory. While this most recent Nadder had been a rather easy kill, the Nightmare and two Grockles before it had put up tough fights and had not retreated when they usually did. They now fought with grim determination and refused to fly away to safety when they were surrounded or outnumbered. They fought to the death, desperate for whatever sheep or fish or occasional person they could grab and drag to their nest that lay beyond the horizon in a place of fog and mystery.

Stoick had once again advocated a search for the nest just a few nights ago at a village meeting, but found that few were willing to agree with him this time around. In olden days the autumn hunt was often a time for rejoicing, a time where there could be some thrilling fighting on the high seas against the occasional dragon in the mist but with few fatalities or harm. It was an opportunity for heroism and bravado to test young Berkians and to provide songs to sing about in the winter. In more recent years-some years after Stoick had taken the mantle of chief- they had become increasingly bloody and futile affairs that tore friends away from friends and left more and more children lacking a mother or father-and occasionally both. Not even Gothi could explain this sudden hostility that they faced whenever they entered the endless maze of mist and stone that forever turned all men away from the nest. Every year a few more people had died on them to the point that they had a good half of those they had set off with last year. While Vikings may have loved battle, when there was only suffering to be had even the most malicious people can grow tired of war. Even the love of war was a relative emotion-strong and passionate when victory abounded and then depressed and nihilistic when nothing but pointless death was to be found.

Such weariness was growing more and more evident in his people, Stoick could see it. There was only so much death and suffering that any people can take before the overbearing grief leads to a resignation of the body and soul. Each raid Stoick could see less of a will to fight, less passion for life and certainly less zeal for the war. No matter how much he or Gobber of Haldor or the few zealous warriors left tried to bolster support there was little they could do to raise the spirits of a people so sick of seeing their loved ones perish in fires, ripped apart before their eyes or vanishing into the night in the talons of demons never to return. His people were now only fighting for their mere survival, not out of any higher principle of defeating their enemy but for the sake of life.

Some were even abandoning the fight altogether. It had saddened Stoick's heart during the last raid when it was revealed to him that the entire Giese clan had abandoned the fight and hid with the livestock in the woods. Worse yet, the few women who were dispatched to watch over the livestock had allowed this and tried to cover it up. While Stoick made sure to properly punish them by making the clan and the secret keepers do most of the cleanup, their very actions depressed him. The fact that there was so little hope to be had that people were now actively resisting to fight-to passively accept death by hunger and the elements than to risk flesh and bone in the defense of property and self-truly made Stoick fearful more than any number of dragons. He could feel Berk, could feel his own people slowly dying not just by external attack but by internal corrosion. The spirit of the island had left them, leaving them but a desperate collection of individuals trying to carry on a desperate fight with an end no more in sight than it had been when they'd started three hundred years ago.

Well…there was _one_ other option, but Stoick didn't like to consider it too heavily when compared to the old mantra of "fight or perish". Reading through Hiccup's journal over and over again throughout the weeks since he had discovered it in the cove was leaving Stoick flustered every time he considered the last pages of the leather-bound book. Drawings of a Night Fury that he had shared with nobody, descriptions of the benevolent and rather benign looking beast that only his son had ever laid eyes on in the flesh. Strange descriptions of thoughts that would appear within the creature's head were written down quickly in a way that worried Stoick.

If the creature could speak to people-as the legends said-then it would imply that the Night Fury and perhaps all other dragons were something more than the beasts that attacked every night, but intelligent beings themselves. It did not take a great scholar to see how the creatures would use at least some manner of strategy in how they attacked, how they spread out across the village in different ways that were always causing the Berkians to adapt. Hiccup's small collection of writings and observations humanized the beasts, shone a light on the monsters that threatened all of Berk's very culture. Stoick had to force such thoughts out of his mind every time he killed a dragon now, ignoring valuable information for the sake of survival. Even when he was no longer with them, Hiccup was casting his own peculiar shadow over Berk, and Stoick wasn't sure to be angry with his son or impressed at this rather unique legacy.

"Watch yourself!"

The cry came from up ahead where the village square burned brightly with the light of the large torches that drew in the younger and weaker dragons for the novice warriors to kill. The competition of youth was supposed to be left that way-ensuring that the young warriors could learn how to fight for themselves-Stoick felt that his assistance and example might be a welcome display to a youth that he knew were as lacking in morale as their elders. Filling himself up from his endless reserves of fighting will, Stoick charged forward with hammer ready and shield raised as a young Nightmare came into view, no doubt giving the younger ones trouble.

The Nightmare was quick to notice the large man that approached it and spat fire at Stoick. The chief allowed his shield to catch the burning liquid and discarded the wood as it caught ablaze, charging with only his hammer and not allowing himself to be intimidated by such a small and weak creature. His hammer came in at the dragon's head from the side, knocking out teeth and audibly breaking the skull with the blow. A second strike from the top was enough to break the rest of the skull and send the creature to the ground dead and defeated. With this task completed, the chief looked around the square to find the younger ones holding their own fairly well. Snotlout was doing nicely with his own war-hammer, no doubt trying to demonstrate his likelihood to Stoick and make himself look as chief worthy as possible. Fishlegs was holding his own with the broadsword and seemed to have managed killing a decent sized Gronckle all by himself. Tuffnut was of course not where he was supposed to be, but his sister was proving her worth as she dueled with a juvenile Zippleback with nothing but spear and shield, one of the oldest combinations of weapon but no less an effective one.

"Come on!" She taunted the dragon that lashed both of its heads at her one at a time, trying to trample her with its size but finding the agile young girl was too fast on her feet. She jabbed the spear at either head as it approached her and used the shield to smash at their teeth and noses in an effort to injure. It was quite the audacious move to take on a two headed dragon by oneself, but Stoick enjoyed seeing such a fervor and determination in the girl. She refused asking for help and was adamant in doing this herself, among the last on Berk that still held onto that internal fire for honor and glory.

Stoick could sense the rest of the raiding force flying away with whatever booty they had taken. Though the chief was dreading what the casualties and losses of property would be like after a raid such as this, he allowed himself the rest to watch as Ruffnut did battle with this last of the stragglers, hoping that the girl could kill the beast before it decided to take off and join the others. The beast and the girl continued their duel for a moment longer before the dragon's two heads seemed to decide that retreat was the best option. The wings on either side of the body began to flap as a few strikes from the head forced Ruffnut to avert herself and give the dragon space to withdraw. Yet not allowing the creature to get away so easily, Ruffnut threw her spear into the air with great force and caught the dragon right in the middle of its body. Stricken with pain the two headed creature collapsed back to the ground, driving the spear through its body with its own weight. Not losing a moment Ruffnut threw away her shield and reached for a knife at her belt, leaping onto the creature and stabbing into the necks of this creature that was both singular and plural at the same time.

"Die! Die! Die!"

Her vigor was commendable and her wrath correctly channeled into proper fighting technique. Her parents would be proud. The rest of the dragons were flying away into the night, having either gotten what they wanted, going back empty or perishing in the attempt. Intent on congratulating the girl on her accomplishments, Stoick walked forward with a loosened grip on his hammer and a smile on his face.

"No! Come back! Come back let me kill you more! AHAHAHAHA!" The mad cackle from Haldor Hofferson came from behind Stoick, who turned to find the patriarch running towards the village square with his axe dragging against the ground and looking to the sky, demanding the dragons return so he could douse himself in more of their blood. "Oh Stoick I must say that this has been a great night! I must have killed near a dozen! If the bastards would just stay on the ground I could kill them all! You'd see! You'd see!"

"Yes, yes Haldor I'm sure we'll all see one day." The Hofferson patriarch followed in behind Stoick as he continued walking towards Ruffnut, who at seeing the chief approach stood up and tried to look as presentable as her blood covered clothing would allow her-even if Stoick was trailed by a man who seemed to have bathed in the red nectar of life.

"Ruffnut! Nicely done there girl. Your parents will be proud to hear you've done so well."

"Uh…thank you Chief Stoick. Just doing my part is all."

"Of course you are girl! And you do your part well!" Stoick exclaimed so as to draw the attention of the other novice warriors to the girl's stellar performance.

"Very well indeed. She reminds me of-"

Stoick raised a hand to silence Haldor and what the chief knew to be the same old complaint that he had no intention of dealing with now. He had enough grief over his own child to deal with; he couldn't deal with the emotional trauma of another man at times like this. As he stood over Ruffnut-the girl looking up to him half in adoration and half in awe for his stature-he felt a great deal of pride surging within him. There was still hope for Berk, somewhere in this younger generation. "And what is this weapon here? A new knife of yours? Don't think I've seen you using this one before…"

"Oh uh…yes chief Stoick, I traded a fisherman for it during the spring. He said it came from the Isle of Man." Ruffnut flipped the knife over to its butt and handed it to the chief to inspect. Stoick took it without concern for a moment before noticing its construction. It was a double sided blade and one that extended from a wooden handle wrapped in leather. The handle itself was designed to fit a smaller manner of hand, and for such reasons it could fit well with Ruffnut where as Stoick's entire palm threatened to engulf the lower half of the blade. Though the steel was smeared with fresh blood, in the light of the massive torches Stoick could make out a small series of three initials where the blade and the hilt met. His eyes widened at the three characters, his fingers trembled at the touch of leather that he knew at one point had touched other familiar skin.

"R-Ruffnut…you say this-this fisherman traded it at the Isle of Man?"

"Yes sir…is there a problem?"

Stoick sighed, knowing he couldn't be mad at a girl who had been oblivious to the markings the whole time by virtue of illiteracy. It wasn't much, revealed nothing and had little sentimental importance to Stoick, but it was still something, another sliver of a part of his life-and of the man standing behind him-that was somewhere beyond many a distant horizon.

"What? What is it Stoick?" Haldor asked, creeping up beneath Stoick to get a better look at the blade. The chief merely turned around and pointed with his finger to the three letters that he knew Haldor could read. In the flickering shadows of a destructive night, the initials of HGH stood out above all.

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

Death was in the air.

Valka could feel this eternal haunt of life all around her, manifesting itself in different ways. As the wind began to slice at her face more aggressively than it had in recent months, she knew winter was rapidly approaching to this high latitude. It could not be kept away from her place of dwelling for long, retreating only for a short time in the peak of summer where small and sturdy flora made a brief clamor for life before being cut down and forced to submit to the greater forces of nature for another long bout of hibernation. Soon the march of decay and darkness would creep its way southward, taking with it the old and the young and culling the weak from humanity. It was one the many ways in which nature kept the balance, sweeping away just enough of the nuisance of human kind so that it could never truly come to dominate the world.

But there was another death in the air, a new aura of destruction and pain that was sticking with Valka no matter how fast Cloudjumper flew or if she closed her eyes. It was a feeling that permeated her body and would not let go. Every moment the presence of this particular object she had found reminded her of the gruesome discovery she had discovered this morning on another trip back from the Outpost that kept guard over the Northern Waters. It was on a series of icebergs she had found them-a brood of young Scuttleclaws all slaughtered, trapped with nets and killed with clubs and blades. A strange and foreign looking ship was on the horizon, from which an inspection from high altitude revealed that the parents were captive on the vessel, staffed by an eclectic looking group of men from across all the lands of the North.

As much as it had filled her with rage to stay back and let the vessel sail away after committing such a tragedy, her lack of strategy, fighting will and the shock of her discovery forced her to keep a distance for the time being. After trailing them for a short while to learn as much as she could about the craft, she turned back to the icebergs, found there was nothing that could be done for the young, and took one of the blood stained nets with her as proof for Capitolinus. She could not keep such brutality a secret from him, no matter how much she knew it would grieve him to hear of such things. He was a being that sought only peace and reason, not one to comprehend the illogical such as pointless violence and against younger dragons no less. Her heart was heavy at bringing him this net, but she knew that the truth had to be spoken if anything was to be done about this.

Cloudjumper dived by his own volition towards the sanctuary, causing Valka to squint at the sudden rush of freezing wind that she knew would be over soon. The massive fortress of ice that loomed ahead-while formidable and seemingly devoid of life on the outside-was even in winter an oasis of life in the barren desert of cold and misery. For sixteen years now the natural springs had provided sanctuary to both Valka's body and soul, a secure place of peace and harmony that was welcome to all life in the midst of darkness and cold. The Stormcutter negotiated the tight opening and narrow ice caves with his regular ease-having traveled this route an innumerable number of times and knowing it by both heart and mind. His four wings gave him great maneuverability in such tight spaces, and Valka could count it among the many reasons she was grateful that such a magnificent creature had selected her as its rider.

_::I fear that if you are correct-and this vessel and others like it are now performing such actions nearby-that we may soon be in constant contact with such peoples. They are also likely to use the Outpost to base themselves in order to maintain constant operations. This is of course predicated on the possibility that they are working for a distant power, which given the design of their vessels is quite likely. We may in fact be seeing more of them in the future, what are we to-::_

"We'll figure it out in time Cloudjumper, let's consult with Lord Capitolinus first though. He might have some better wisdom for us than rushing into this without a plan."

_::But if we are to have a plan what manner would it be? You are clearly in distress and desire action against the people that we saw, does this mean proactive actions on our part? Do you feel capable of-::_

"We'll figure it out soon Cloudnjumper…we'll figure it out." The dragon was clearly alit with ideas and thoughts on the matter, and while Valka appreciated his efforts she could not distract herself with wild assumptions and fantasies of greatness when there facts yet to be had. Perhaps it was a one off instance? Perhaps a chieftain was requesting a dragon skin cape to better protect himself from fire in the midst of combat? It was amazing how such a simple action as killing dragons could somehow offer so many possibilities and nuances to the circumstances. Death was so simple and action and so seemingly simple in its responses, but without facts there were so many possibilities that could make it more or less severe. Sin had neither definitiveness nor any set repercussions. Every concerned thought of what ifs-however outlandish- diminished cruelty and begged for understanding even when none could be given. Valka needed wisdom that she knew she could never have. She sought a mind that exceeded her own in size and age, that she knew she could multiple lifetimes conversing with and never truly unravel the infinite complexities of such a creature.

Cloudjumper rolled through a narrow tunnel of ice and Valka ducked her head as she had done more times that saying certain words. They entered the sanctuary and received a sudden burst of warmth from the springs below. She could feel her cheeks and ears thawing as the embracing warmth brushed her face like a mother's hand and sought to comfort the weary traveler. Uncountable numbers of dragon flew in their own squadrons above and below her, oblivious to the horrors she held in her lap and content in knowing they were safe if they stayed close to their all powerful Alpha and this hidden enclave of life in the midst of barren wastes and hostile men.

Such an Alpha, the benevolent patriarch of so many lesser species that watched over them as a physical manifestation of divinity was where he so often was, sitting in the warm and tranquil waters of the hot springs that eased his ancient bones and gave tranquility to his forever contemplating mind. His head turned upwards to see Valka and Cloudjumper making a rapid descent towards the ground, the Stormcutter performing a quick spiral before extending its wings and coming in for a well executed landing as fitting his ability. Valka got off shortly after, dragging the net off of Cloudjumper with her and letting the heavy rope fall to the ground. She dragged it behind her with her left hand as the staff in her right was laid on the ground.

_::VALKA, WHAT IS THIS YOU HAVE HERE? I CAN SENSE GREAT AGONY WITHIN YOU, IS THIS NET THE CAUSE?::_

Having brought herself into proper view of the mammoth dragon, Valka set the net down and took a proper bow of reverence that-while she knew the dragon would pardon her if she didn't-she still felt compelled to do for the sake of formality. The cascading waters from cliffs and the bubbling of the springs created a humming din that surrounded Valka, doing the best that nature could to calm her nerves as she tried to avoid the blood stained sinew and lift the net up for the Alpha to better see.

"Lord Capitolinus I-Cloudjumper and I found a group of infant Scuttleclaws covered by nets like this on some icebergs and beaten to death. The parents had been taken alive aboard a strange boat and-and I can't understand why. It raises so many questions and I wished to hear what you had to say on the matter Lord Capitolinus." She took a deep breath after expelling all she had in a single go. The sight of the blood of innocents so callously taken was disturbing her and bringing back memories of the first half of her life where such a thing was a regular occurrence every other night. She'd grown to be repulsed by the sight of all other blood save her own-and even that was an uncomfortable enough experience in its own right. The massive dragon narrowed his eyes and smelled at the air a moment, stoically taking in the gruesome artifact before him with a silent and pitying remorse.

"Lord Capitolinus…I know that we both agree that violence amounts to little. Yet-yet I feel that if such circumstances as these continue that we-I-may have to begin retaliation for this brutality. I cannot see what other course of action is plausible at this point." Valka was beginning to feel small in the midst of the Alpha's gaze, his silence making each moment drag as she knew the beast was contemplating her words deep within the confines of his infinite wisdom. There was uneasiness to the air about her, something darker lurking within the massive dragon that did not let up his gaze on her, as if contemplating greater things than Valka had expected.

_::VALKA…I FEEL NOW THAT THIS EVIDENCE HAS BEEN PRESENTED THAT IT IS TIME WE SPOKE OF UPCOMING MATTERS. I DID NOT WISH TO LET YOU KNOW SUCH THINGS SO EARLY SINCE THEY WERE FAR OFF, BUT NOW IS THE TIME FOR YOU TO KNOW.::_

"Know-know what Lord Capitolinus?"

_::My Lord, what is this you speak of? Is it-it cannot be is it?::_

"Can't be what? What's going on?" Valka looked between Cloudjumper and Lord Capitolinus with a sudden bewilderment at their implications. Was this a secret? How could there still be any such things between any of them after sixteen years? She couldn't even fathom such creatures that treasured logic so much had been deceitful towards her; it seemed to contradict all she knew about them. "Tell me!"

Cloudjumper backed away from Valka, knowing that he was not the proper creature to teach his rider of the greater truths of life and conceding the right to his intellectual superior. Valka turned back to Capitolinus who had relaxed his expression and begged the woman to sit as she so often did to hear the many stories of the creature. She rested on the moss as she so often did, crossed her legs and awaited Capitolinus' wisdom as she let the warm, dizzying sensation of draconic telepathy run up and down her spine.

_::VALKA, I HAVE TOLD YOU OF THE GREAT DESTRUCTION MANY TIMES. YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE DETAILS OF SUCH AN EVENT YES?::_

Valka nodded, always moved by pity when Capitolinus recalled the annihilation of the Great Nest so many years ago that had ended a civilization of dragons that had extended back in time for innumerable eons.

_::…I AM AFRAID THAT FOR A LONG TIME I HAD SENSED LITTLE OF PALANTINIUS AS HE HAD BEEN AWAY IN DISTANT LANDS. BUT NOW I CAN FEEL HIM DRAWING NEARER WITH EACH PASSING MOON. YET THERE IS MORE TO THIS FEELING. HIS OWN SHADOW CARRIES WITH IT ONE EVEN DARKER. THERE IS A DARKNESS EVEN GREATER THAN HE THAT DRAWS CLOSER. IT HAS BEEN REVEALED TO ME BY THE ONE OF GOLD, WHO CAME TO ME IN DREAMS TO FORTELL OF THIS.::_

"…"One of Gold?" What does that mean Lord Capitolinus?" Valka asked, perplexed by this new detail added to an already ominous proclamation.

_::SHE IS A BEING OF A TRUE LIGHT, ONE IN WHICH I CAN SEE NO MALEVOLENCE. SHE TOOK THE FORM OF THE SUN GOD AS SHE SPOKE TO ME, BUT TELLS ME THAT WHEN THE TIME COMES YOU TOO SHALL KNOW OF HER. SHE HAS WARNED ME THAT THERE IS A COMING CATACLYSM AND THAT PALANTINIUS-ALONG WITH THIS SHADOW THAT MANIPULATES HIM-ARE BEHIND IT. THAT WHICH YOU HAVE BROUGHT BEFORE ME HAS CONFIRMED MY FEARS THAT THIS CONFRONTATION GROWS EVEN NEARER THAN I HAD SUSPECTED. THOSE THAT FOLLOW THE GREAT SHADOW ARE ALREADY BEGINNING TO ENTER INTO THIS AREA TO MAKE WAY FOR THE GREATER DESTRUCTION. SUCH ARE THE PEOPLE YOU HAVE ENCOUNTERED, SO SAYS THE ONE OF GOLD.::_

Valka was quiet a moment, trying to absorb such grandiose words and apocryphal warnings. While she was always willing to assist Lord Capitolinus in whatever he desired, such a call to destiny as found only in sagas was an intimidating prospect, and one all the more shocking with its sudden revelation. She mulled for a moment, trying to wrap her mind around such thoughts as they echoed in her head.

"Then what-what are we to do about this Lord Capitolinus? Has this "one of gold" given you instructions on how we are to overcome Palantinius and this shadow that controls him?"

_::NO. THE ONE OF GOLD MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT A REVELATION OF DESTINY DOES NOT EQUATE TO LEARNING HOW TO ACHIEVE IT. THAT IS LEFT TO THE REALM OF US WITH MORTALITY…EVEN THOSE OF US WHOSE MORTALITY DEFIES THE REST OF NATURE. WHAT THEN DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION VALKA? I KNOW YOU HAVE FOR SO LONG ABHORRED VIOLENCE, WOULD YOU RATHER THAT WE SEEK A MORE DISTANT NEST?::_

Valka stood up and began to pace, trying not to look at the net but finding that no other sight could hold her attention for the moment quite like this one object did. The blood, so disgusting in its context disturbed her, yet this disturbance struck at an even deeper emotion that slowly rose within her. Innocents so objectively slaughtered, creatures that did not need to die killed for the sake of their disturbance in the abduction of their parents. It was war, pointless war that had once more reared its red stained head to her face and mocked her with its very presence alone. It taunted her, made light of her ideals and called them futile. A dedication to peace could not be kept in a world so involved in war. She was born into war, raised among it and had tried for so long to remove it from her life. Yet blood never went away, would not stop appearing until the blood within had grown cold and still.

Was war always so pointless? Was conflict forever a malady on the human soul or just made that way by faulty reasoning? The blood she had always seen growing up being spilled amidst the fires of a burning home, that was indeed pointless. But when darkness shed blood, was it not right to spill the blood of darkness until the shadows receded? The slaughtered Scuttleclaws had indeed died for a purpose, but for some manner of evil one. Valka resolved that if there was going to be death, she would grant all would harm the innocent a fight with purpose, to make the spilling of blood an affair with purpose at last. One could after all not escape war, but only make it as useful as possible. She turned back to Capitolinus, who watched the subtle changes in her body language with a fascinated delight.

"No. we're not going anywhere. All my life I've been trying to escape fighting…but now I see that I can't. I cannot stand by and let innocent dragons or any manner of creature be killed for evil reasons nor will I allow it to keep happening so long as my heart still beats." She moved back to her staff and picked it up, whirling it around her hand a few times before landing one of the edges on the moss with an aggressive thud. "If Palantinius wants a war, he's going to get the best one I can make." Her voice resonated throughout the cavern, all dragons around her watching with an interested eye as the human that was always so sweet and charming now took on a new persona, brimming with a righteous anger and already awash with contemplations as to how she was going to carry out her new endeavor of proactive defense.

_::So, when do we start?::_

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

On the ground the night is indeed a worthy thing to fear. The darkness of the sun's absence-the moon being a temperamental and unreliable replacement- brought forth every evil of the land and sea that the brilliance of daylight kept locked away where it belonged. Even if the world was made for man to conquer, such domination would not come without great toil at dealing with the many hardships of the night and the threats of the land that forever lurked in the shadows, eternally prepared to strike at all of man's progress.

In the sky, night was instead a thing of beauty. When no cloud could be seen and the light of the moon and the legions of stars could give illumination to the night unimpeded, the endless vistas of black became new avenues of endless exploration. There were no threats to impeded the wonder and enjoyment of what traveler came to these heights and-asides from falling-few reasons to worry. When safely deployed in the heavens the mind was free to wander, the body safe from harm and the soul free to listen to the endless whispers of the passing wind that taunted wisdom in their passing, never to be regained. Hiccup, Astrid and Toothless soared above the snow capped peaks of a long expanse of mountains that shone dimly with the reflected moonlight. They knew there were probably shorter mountains further away and valley through which they could fly, the eagerness to see what lay beyond this natural barrier propelled them to embrace the comfort of the night and force their way over these highest of peaks.

While Hiccup's map of the Frankish kingdom had done them all well for the rest of summer, the approach of autumn and the foreboding shadows of a winter beyond it drove them further and further southward, fleeing the great culling of nature's beauty and fearful of being caught in such aggressive elements as they had been in their first winter away from Berk. They followed the parchment as far south as possible, but turned away from the sea for want of the safety of valleys and forests. They would camp in one place for a few days and subsided on small borrowings from the local harvest and nearby game before taking a day to travel some distance before setting down again. They were still keeping ahead of autumn for now but didn't want to become complacent in any one place for long. They were once more coming to enjoy the benefits of a life of a freedom all their own, adhering to no authority and heeding the words of nobody but themselves. After spending so great a time back in a society with the Normans, the break to total independence was as welcome as the village itself had been after they had grown fatigued of a rough life by themselves.

The last few days though had been occupied with the final push off the map, heading towards the edges marked by the term "Ibérie" and cut off at a chain of mountains. While there was also another set of mountains located to the Southeastern edge of the map, Hiccup had learned from studying other maps that they were too high and too cold to attempt an aerial crossing of even in Summer. Toothless seemed relieved that they were no longer going in that direction, but Hiccup did not press the dragon for too many details, nor did he receive many besides "It is a bad place for dragons". Laziness and contentment were enough for Hiccup to keep going towards the other edge of the map, and from there till gods knew where. The more he and Astrid saw of the world the more they truly realized just how massive it was. While Toothless had often tried to communicate to them on the vastness of the lands he had seen in his past millennium of life, no conceptualization in the mind could ever brace the mind for the large scale of just one domain as they had seen that of the Franks to be. Unlike an island such as Berk, no single place on the mainland could be definitively known by any one person. Landscapes sprawled in every direction, with scarcely any definition as to what belonged to whom.

Only boundaries of nature such as the mountains below them could truly define any land and give marking to a proper domain where there was no sea to slice off one area of land from another. Tonight was the night they crossed and let their map fly away in the breeze, seeking whatever mysteries lie beyond these mountains that passed them by as a sea of icebergs on land, striking up from the still living ground beneath and striving to find the top of the sky-a feat that Toothless would sometimes lament that not even he could do.

"The air is getting pretty thin up here, how you doing?" Astrid called into his ear, being loud so that her voice could pierce the wailing winds that rose from the mountains.

"I can manage it. I don't think we're that far from the other side now and then we can get lower again. What do you say about that Toothless?"

_::I sense there is not much farther till we clear these peaks, then yes indeed we may descend to a more comfortable altitude. I must say though that after spending so much time on the ground I am no longer as acclimated to these heights as I once was, and the lesser quantities of air is getting to me as well. If I suddenly lose consciousness and we all die in the fall, at least you will know who to blame for my learned weakness.::_

Hiccup rolled his eyes as he patted the dragon on the neck. "You're doing fine bud. Believe me if you're still alert enough to mock me then you're not going to pass out.

_::Are you sure? It does not take much of my mental strength to find ways to make light of your possible failings.::_

"No…no Toothless trust me you're fine."

"Yeah…" Astrid started as she readjusted her grip on Hiccup's chest that was as much for her own safety as comfort. "…and besides, if Hiccup and I can handle this then surely you can as well."

_::Neither of you are carrying two creatures on your back though…::_

Both humans groaned at what they knew to at this point be a (mostly) false complaint and let the conversation pass into the endlessly rushing wind that bit but did not sting, cooled but did not chill. Summer was the perfect and only real time to fly at night, where it was too hot to do so in the day and finally still warm enough in the high air to make long travels tolerable. Nights like this were particularly what made such an event worth the wasted sunlight that would follow. The moon shone without impediment, the star light without challenge by any manner of civilization and bringing every constellation into vision. The sky was a place beyond humanity, Hiccup and Astrid but humble guests to this foreign dimension where every direction was a new possibility, where there was truly no way to know where one was at any given time. Where all other peoples were slaves to the whims of the ground, these three were truly free, without borders and without restrictions in the limitless horizons that lay ahead.

Astrid rested her head upon his shoulder as Toothless evened out after he and Hiccup adjusted for a sudden crosswind and once more settled into a steady flight through the harrowing gusts. Her arms shifted and now clasped the front of his shoulders in a firm hold. There was a new, strange way in how she held onto him during these flights and how he did the same when she controlled the pedal. It was no longer just for the sake of survival and safety, but had become gilded in a desire for love and intimacy, an enjoyment in holding the flesh that rejoiced during long flights when such things were a necessity. They both knew what the other wanted now; both understood who they were both as themselves and in relationship to each other. The warming love of summer had rubbed off on the both of them and left a mark of affection that each were sure to keep even as the bearer of such a gift was crushed beneath the march of cold and death.

"I hope it's nice beyond these mountains." She called to his ear, loud for the sake of being heard but with a tone that was audibly tired from the lack of oxygen.

"It will be. It will be Astrid."

_::There are no guarantees of anything. Perhaps we shall find goodness in this land, but until such a people are proven to not be like the ones we have so far encountered there is always doubt to be had.::_

Hiccup began to sigh before the quick rushes of wind into his mouth made him close it out of reflex. One of these days he knew he should make some kind of helmet for he and Astrid to break the winds of flying, but that would wait until they found a proper settlement to do it in. he bent his head to that the top of his scalp broke the wind before talking back to the dragon.

"You've just always got to take the fun out of things don't you Toothless?"

_::How do you mean?::_

"We're just trying to be hopeful for the future; do you really need to point out that things can go badly?"

_::It is merely my efforts to prevent you from a false sense of security. We have so far dealt with many things that could have possibly harmed us were it not for staying vigilant to the existence of such things. Were Astrid not vigilant against Sinead you would probably be stuck in Ireland. Were I not vigilant on many occasions you would both have fallen to the swords of many men. We have so far faced many hardships both by our own will and by circumstances that may play into destiny. The fact that we are entering a new land does not necessitate that things here are in any ways better than how they were in Ireland, Wales, or in this large land we have spent so much time in. Is vigilance so hard a thing to keep in mind?::_

"It's called hope Toothless? Hope that things will be even better over there than they were in the land we're leaving behind because…well it's just better to think that way. Is it so wrong to have hope?" Astrid interjected, hoping to silence argument quickly and not be dragged into a longer argument with an endlessly logical creature.

_::Not at all, but do not allow your hope to cloud your mind from the ever preset possibility of danger. I have seen this to be a constant failure or your race and am merely hoping to safeguard you against it.::_

"You're just saying that because you don't want to think things can ever get better do you?" Astrid argued back, bringing the discussion out of theory and back to her more familiar plain of insults.

_::If you wish to deceive yourselves into thinking only about the positive possibilities for the future that is your desire, but do not expect me to do the same. I maintain that until it can be proven that there are no threats, one should always expect there to be. If it is easier for you to ignore threats than do so, but do not equate that to there being no threats at all::_ The echo of Toothless' mind faded into silence in Astrid and Hiccup's minds, dark and foreboding but ambivalent in what it truly meant. The two lovers instead fell back to the company of the other as Astrid rubbed the side of her head against Hiccup's in an effort to nuzzle with affection.

"Love you…" She said just loudly enough to be heard over the wind that would dare to carry such sentiments away never to be realized. The tops of the mountains began to fall away behind them as they crossed over to the far side, off the map and now in another new realm that held either infinite gains or infinite sorrow, all dependent of what they made of it. The past had been formed and made for the better, fulfilling the desires of the body and soul and preparing the mind for what lay ahead. Regardless of whether or not they found the greatest of pleasures or the most intolerable of pains, they did so together. Bonded by love and driven by hope they flew into the darkness, seeking their light in the endless expanses that the sky had to offer.

"I love you too."

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

**Hello Peoples!**

**It has been a long time going, but at long last Act II of this monstrosity is complete. Two down, three more acts to go. I think if I stay to the current schedule I have going and continue adhering to the twelve chapters per act formula then I shall be done with this story by sometime around April of next year. Yeah, I told you this story was massive, but I am determined to complete it and have no intention of stopping now. As Hiccstrid now travels into Iberia, there are many things that await them both in this land and beyond. Are they things of happiness, of sorrow or both? And what of the North, what new developments await there as a new war all its own begins? Act III shall reveal it all, and it will start next week as usual.**

**Much thanks as always to the splendid "Writer for the Tylwyth Teg" for her Beta work on this chapter and her determination to stand with me as I continue in this epic. Much awaits us all, and if you're satisfied with the story as it is so far feel free to tell me what you like and dislike about it however you please.**

**With that said, it is time to begin work on the next act in this great journey of our heroes. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you next week with another!**

**-Mc.**


	25. Divide and Conquer

"Right up ahead lads! I want those nets ready! Let's not have a repeat of last time now, one fatality is acceptable but we lose many more and we're doing double shifts for everybody!"

After a long and steady plunge into chaos and pain, the life of Eret, son of Eret had finally stabilized and become remotely comfortable again. Though his work was difficult and prone to many a different kind of danger, the prospect of death no longer rested so heavily upon his shoulder as it had for so long. While the work of dragon trapping was indeed perilous and brought the opportunity for death or serious injury every time a fresh specimen was captured, it was an unpredictable risk. While knowledge of threats yet to come at determined and set points in time were terrifying in their wait, the trials and tribulations that occurred at random throughout one's life and occupation were less threatening. Sudden dangers did not hover like a dark cloud but instead struck like lightning, painful but unpredictable, without prevention and with the only proper action afterwards to simply be to pick up and move on-at least if one's person survived to pick up at all.

Captain Asger had done his best to defend his men in these last few months, ferocious in how he fought and determined to keep his crew alive. While Eret could concede that what they were doing still left him a little uneasy whenever the blood of the young and old alike splashed onto his clothing, it was Asger's courage and example for stoic dedication to the task at hand that guided the younger trapper through the perils of the craft. He was a man that could put aside the conventions and restrictions of the heart and morality and focus on doing what he was told out of a powerful mixture of fear and dedication to his own master.

"Eret! I want you aiming high this time around; they'll come at us from the rock if we're not careful!"

The air was growing colder with each day and each new horizon they crossed as they searched across these northern waters. Breath now turned to fog as it left the lungs and clothing now began to be worn in layers as the hunt continued, demand never being satiated and with the order to send dragons back to Drago holding in place until he personally sent them the word to stop. They had established themselves at a small island far in the North, a lonely and mostly purposeless rock that held only a hundred people or so and that held sentry over the frozen wastes for the sole reason that somebody had to. These people had welcomed Asger and his crew in with open arms, rejoicing in the possibility of being useful to somebody or something even if the true purposes behind Asger's actions may ultimately lead to their destruction. Asger, Eret and several others of the crew had even been in talks of permanently establishing a base of operations there for future use as they hunted further and further North for dragons as the more southerly populations continued to diminish in numbers.

Eret and Asger had grown close both by voluntary will and the necessity of the closed confines of their ship. Late nights would be spent hearing stories of the captain's past that gave richly colored narration to each scar on the man's body. The man was a charismatic and extroverted leader when the task called for it, but in the quiet of the cabins or in the dim light of the moon he was just as much a man of thought, one that clearly could have excelled in the pondering of the universe were it not resigned to the more menial and dangerous tasks that occupy so many men's lives. He was a man that truly did care for his crew even if the circumstances of their job meant that true friendship had to be suppressed for the needs of survival. In him Eret saw much of himself, of a man that could have had better in life were it not for the forces of greater men that stripped them of their identity and made them mere pieces in the greater machines that had been constructed by the powerful. Eret was grateful to Asger for keeping him so close and doing his best to teach the young conscript the ways of this dangerous profession, it made him feel less alone in this strange yet so familiar world that was the open sea.

"Remember to aim for the heads, one blast from those things and we're swimming for shore here folks. Johann! I want us kept clear of those rocks as much as possible, don't get us close unless we need the range and _I_ give the order, understood?!"

"Yes sir! Keeping her just within maximum range!" The calls went about the ship as each station made ready for the upcoming catch. A pair of Gronckles were coming close into sight as they lounged about on the rocks near the shoreline of a small island. No kin could be seen with them, so that was opportune. However, that did not cross out the possibility that the visibly female one among the two couldn't be carrying eggs. If so, there were two possibilities for such a contingency. If she was still a long ways from delivery she would still be shipped back to Drago where the eggs could hopefully be hatched and the young brought up to serve their master, forever servile and never knowing the sweet taste of freedom. If she was late with the pregnancy, she would either be killed or-if enough time was allowed-the eggs would be allowed to release from the mother but would be destroyed thereafter.

It would hopefully be an easy catch so long as the nets were deployed properly and they could be hauled onto the boat without hassle. After that it would only be a half day's journey with the wind at their backs to the outpost where they were storing their catch for the meantime. Captain Asger had arranged it so that separate boats would come to such a place ever few weeks to bring what trappings they had back to Drago as he grew ever nearer with his armada. Eret truly feared for the world when Drago broke out of the infinite plains where the Rus had settled and could once more deploy his mighty fleet upon the waves.

Eret had wondered on occasion why-as he had heard from Asger and others-why Drago had built up his fleet in the Black Sea first before having it portaged all the way across such a large landmass when he could have conquered such a land first and then built a fleet. The reasoning for it provided Eret with more insight to the ways of his mysterious commander than he had at first thought. By building the fleet first, he sucked away many of the resources of the neighboring areas as he could before then turning said resources on the weak, crushing the exhausted and making conquest easier. It is hard to build anything from ruins after all, so wasting time in constructing an armada on the Baltic would have been a pointless. Thus, the fleet slowly advanced with each passing day, the man in Night Fury hide and the mammoth beast that submitted to him drew closer to the cold waters of the North to dominate. Why domination was the plan, Eret did not know nor did he particularly want to. Drago was a man to be feared by his very existence alone, to ponder the dark phantoms of his mind was a tinkering with forces beyond the sane comprehension of most mortals.

"Ballistae ready!"

Eret snapped himself back into action as he and the rest of the netters took aim at the Gronckles that did the usual hissing and stomping their paws as the human ship drew near and readied for battle. It was going to be a tricky fight, but Eret had faith in himself, Asger, and the rest of the crew to be able to handle it just as well as they had for so many months. Eret steadied his aim and looked down the basic sights, jumbled net prepared and ready to take away the freedom of another being just as had been done to him. It was only fair to reciprocate his frustration upon the wider world, to let all life know his pain. The air grew still as all waited for the order to strike, dragon and human staring the other down and waiting for the other to make the first move in this deadly game. One fireball is all it would take to possibly sink the ship, it was a delicate dance with potential death that this job was, but Eret no longer feared an accidental demise doing this job that he considered himself just as capable of as any other.

Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, he took a last look up to the sun overhead that was a dull warmth against his back. So large and so bright, it was one of the few constants in a world set on the sea. One thing that was not constant about such an orb though were the rapidly growing, dark shadows that descended from it, quickly merging into one in the eyes of all as it bore down upon them. Continuing to look drew the attention of other men who sought an explanation for Eret's bewildered face, including Captain Asger.

"Eret! What the Hel are…you…staring at-what the-?" All eyes were suddenly drawn upward to the descending shadow that was beginning to materialize in the squinting eyes of the men. Though the eye's inability to focus on the sun for long made sure that their glances were short, Eret and the others could begin to discern four wings bearing down and fast, some strange figure topping the rare breed of dragon that quickly caused a chill in their blood.

"Aim up! Incoming attacker!" Eret complied with the order and swiveled his ballista up as high as it could aim, even as the sun continued to blur his vision and disorient his depth perception. The specter loomed and was now quickly upon them. While the netters went for their triggers and tried to launch a trap against this strange and unexpected guest, a sudden burst of fire from above was released. Eret flinched as the flames seemed to come for him and fell to the deck in a sudden panic.

"Watch yourselves!" The fire instead collided with the water to the side of the boat, the strong wings of the large dragon above them dousing Eret with spray as it circled around, sending all men for cover in fear of this sudden disturbance to their work. As the beats went away and Eret found it safe to put his head up again, he found that the ship had quickly been surrounded in a thick and warm mist from the mixture of the dragon's fire and sea water that struck at the nostrils fiercely and made vision a desperate dream. Eret could barely see the next ballista beside him in the sudden fog. Knowing this was a time to fight and ask questions later, the young trapper drew his blade from its sheath and put a tight grip on it, holding it out and prepared for whatever may come his way.

The bow of the ship suddenly rocked as a great weight was put upon it. Eret looked towards the area but could see nothing through the thick mist.

"Dragon! We've got a-hey! Ah!" Captain Asger's voice was suddenly cut off, followed by a splash in the water and a sudden clamoring of the other men to where they had heard the commotion. Eret stood where he was and only made small steps forward after a short pause to contemplate. Nothing but wails of pain and anguish came from the bow, turning any venture made in that direction all the less appealing an option.

"It's a-"

"Someone!"

Random phrases rose from the mist that continued to draw Eret slowly forward to do his duty. While a death from random occurrence was always preferred, under these circumstances it regained some of the element of dread and fear that he had come to know so well. Deciding that postponing the possibly inevitable would be pointless if he died anyways, Eret lunged forward and towards the bow with his knife ready to kill whatever he came across.

"Come here you-" He was quickly stopped by a pummel to his abdomen from a staff of wood that was quick to strike up and knock him back as pain spread from his chin across his skull. He reeled back but kept his blade in front of him to prevent another attack. As he reopened his eyes to see into the mist, he finally made out an apparition that whirled about in the haze. A tall figure lurked so close to him but was so unrecognizable beneath both the mist and an elaborate disguise. It's body was clearly human by virtue of being bipedal, but nothing about it appeared remotely similar to any other man or woman. Thick boots melded into scaled armor created a thick shell around the chest, from which armored arms descended from thick shoulders and led into fake but no less deadly claws that hovered over the hands. Such appendages gripped the staff that had wounded Eret, what looked to be a shaft of wood wrapped in leather and thread with curved bones protruding from each end. Another crew member came up to strike at this mysterious being, but it beat him over the head with the staff and quickly sent him to his feet by pulling his leg out with the curved staff edge. It looked at both of them through a thick mask from which protruded tusks in the front and a crown of awkwardly arranged spikes at the top. Whatever demon or monster this person was trying to impersonate, they were doing a good job of it in both their presentation and fighting ability.

"Hey! I'm not-hey!" Eret tried to leap after the phantom as the mist began to clear. It stepped back up the bow as Eret pursued, only to be once more stopped by a new figure, this one clearly draconic as it growled at him. He held back out of fright and reverence for that which lurked in the mist until it began to clear. The beating wings of the dragon dispersed the haze as the four winged beast rose in the sky. The human figure stood atop it, staff raised to the sun in triumph as Eret saw the wounded and beaten bodies of his comrades slowly shuffling to their feet-asides from those that Eret feared might have gone to a place where they no longer could feel such pain. The dragon hovered for a moment before a bulging in its throat sent a shiver up Eret's back as he raced towards the aft along with the other able bodied crew.

"Move!" He yelled as a sudden heat struck near his back. Following on the most basic instincts to live he leaped off the boat as the orange flames began to engulf the vessel. He kicked off his boots the moment he submerged in the water and lost in blade in the depths as he tried to keep afloat, wiping the salty brine from his eyes as he looked at the burning remains of the ship as it rapidly became consumed with the virulent fire. A few more of the crew looked to him and to each other as the four winged dragon flew back towards the sun from whence it had come, as fast as it had arrived the shadow faded back into the light and from there vanishing amidst the sky and clouds.

Sparing no time and excessive energy in fighting the waves and surf, Eret and the remaining crew swam towards the nearby shore of rock. The Gronckles had disappeared from view, clearly taking heed from their sudden defender to flee. After fighting tide and current for what felt like a much longer time that it should have by virtue of bodily strain, the survivors dragged themselves across the jagged rocks near the shoreline and onto the smooth-if no less uncomfortable- layers of stone that comprised the barrier between land and sea. Cold from the soaking they began to strip off outer layers of clothing and wringing them out as the biting chill of oncoming Winter taunted them with the prospect of dying by his hand after all that had already happened.

"How is-is everybody alright? How many do we have? Are there people still swimming? Do we…" Eret trailed off as he viewed the four men that had pulled themselves onto the rock. He saw nothing in the waves except the crumbling remains of the ship as it creaked and moaned with each board that was taken into the blaze. Frantically he looked for signs of life but found none, no more flailing bodies, no more cries for help. Nothing but the serenity of the waves and the chaos of the fire. No Asger, perhaps killed with a blade or finished off in the fire but regardless of circumstance dead.

Eret sadly acknowledged that it was only he and four other crew men that had survived this sudden attack by an unknown enemy, one that dressed up as, fought alongside and for dragons. Whoever this person was, Eret felt a sudden and new compulsion to kill him as vengeance for this act. Vengeance for all those hands lost, and vengeance in the name of Lord Drago for this assault upon his property. The remaining men looked up to him as a guide in this suddenly transformed world where new variables had been added to this already chaotic world of the waves.

"Eret?" Came from one of the crew, a German who could only speak the most rudimentary Norse and who clung to Eret's friendship by virtue that the Irishman had taught him those key phrases. "What we do now? This bad."

The three others looked Eret and he alone, the only among them that stood and still carried strength in his heart. The wreckage of the ship, of one brief moment of collective security in Eret's life continued to burn and slowly seek the bottom of the waves. The pillars of existence had once more crumbled, needing to be rebuilt again. Now though, they would be rebuilt as Eret himself desired. Even if he still served another more distant power, he would now dictate how he followed this man who brought wrath upon the world. No longer just a follower, but a leader of followers, a working gear in the great machine of destruction he intended to construct.

"Alright then lads, here's what we do..."

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

_"Nicely done out there Astrid, I'd say you'll have the roll down in another day or so."_

_Though so many others feared him fiercely, a young Astrid Hofferson could only look up at her father with a sparkle of admiration in her eyes. The man's long black hair never lost its sheen and his stubble of facial hair gave a dark, speckled appearance to his face. She was still in the years where the father is invincible, a paragon of strength and a rock of stability in the chaotic world of transitioning youth. She had just recently crossed the barrier into the double digits of age and felt a great surge of strength and confidence from it, her head held as high as possible as she walked alongside her father through the village in the cool breeze of a spring day. _

_"Thank you daddy. I will be getting it soon I promise."_

_"Haha…I know you will dear. It's tough I know, it will take some time but you'll get it."_

_He laid a free hand on her hair and gave it a light rub, clenching his fingers together and messing up a few strands that Astrid's young fingers were quick to reach upwards to correct. She was making sure to keep growing it out, envying her father's own locks and having adapted an almost hostile attitude towards anyone who kept it short. She was growing into the kind of young girl that was always filled with a vibrant fire to grow out of the delicate shell of adolescence and become one with the adult world. Haldor had no problems in helping her rise up to this goal, eager to see this precious daughter of his become as strong as possible._

_"You know it actually took me a long time to master it myself when I was your age?" He remarked as they turned the corner into the village square, bustling with activity on this glorious day when every household had their goods out and foreign ships abounded in the harbor for the eligible women of the island to prey upon. It was a good day for the both of them, the daughter having demonstrated her worth once again and the father brimming with excitement over the greatest achievement his life had yet produced. _

_"Really? You too?"_

_"Why of course, do you think it is easy to roll your entire body over your head twice with a spear in your hand? I'm not Thor here Astrid."_

_"Well you're close enough…"_

_Haldor gave a light and loving chuckle at her flattery as they continued forward. Astrid was coming to see such compliments as increasingly basic and beneath her with each passing month, but for now still delighted in adorning her father with as much praise as possible. He was a man that could do anything, be anything and was challenged by nobody to demonstrate such abilities. The two had entered into a sort of partnership that satisfied the other, the daughter trained and disciplined herself relentlessly as her father instructed, and in return the girl received such praise and admiration that it made the long days tolerable._

_Astrid looked around the town square for Ruffnut, her only real friend at this time. Per her father's request she had begun to grow farther and farther apart from the male children-shunning spending time with them on her days free from training in the name of making her father happy. In turn, she and Ruffnut had grown much closer over the past year as the two girls gripped with the struggles of adolescence and the usual concerns of Berk-surviving during raids, complaining about chores and training, enjoying what gossip they were considered grown enough to hear, the usual for the island's younger females. While she still did miss the wider company of the other gender, her father had made a clear and compelling case to stay away from them. They were not to be trusted, always plotting to find ways to hurt her for their own sick gain. While Haldor was still keeping the more graphic details of what boys desired away from the girl so as to preserve her innocence, Astrid had learnt enough so as to shun them all save for her father. To the young girl that sought only to be approved of in his eyes, he was genderless, having transcended the limits and desires of his masculine compatriots whom he vilified, and instead merely an icon to be adored for strength, wisdom and that ever fleeting but always intoxicating sensation known as love._

_She could not see her friend anywhere in the chaos of barter and gossip, either lost in the mania of the square or somewhere else, probably enjoying a more relaxing day of games, causing mischief with her brother or hearing stories of old in the great hall. As much as Astrid considered Ruffnut a good friend in which she could find trust and confidence, she still viewed her as the inferior between them. She was the one who was allowed to be lazy and have too much fun in life whereas Astrid had to constantly work to achieve anything, be it a physical reward or the more ethereal sensation of respect that she knew her father held for her in this moment of constant improvement. _

_Work and discipline, that was what Astrid was told to live her life by and she intended to live up to that request if it killed her. Anything for her father, anything for this man that was her last connection to those few precious memories of her mother. Each was a gateway to that essential figure in both their lives, the lover of one and the nurturer of another. Together they worked to live up to her legacy, to help each other through grief in the delicate balancing act of giving and receiving love from the other. _

_"Excuse me!" A high and nasal voice struck up from the village square as Astrid and her father began to walk past it. A smaller than average boy with auburn hair was trying to carry wood towards the forge where it was destined to be burned. He seemed to be carrying too much for his lanky arms to bear the weight of, but continued on anyway, haphazardly dancing around people twice his size as he negotiated the crowd. _

_"Ha…gods bless him he tries. Always meant to fail, but he tries anyways." Haldor mused as they continued walking. Astrid continued giving some glances to the boy that was trying vainly to show some manner of strength to a world that did not care one way or another. Hiccup was already branded as such, an aberration to the ways of the village better left to rot on the vine to than to be cultivated into anything more than the failure that he had been since birth. As his arms visibly strained at carrying the burden and none of the adults paid him much heed, Astrid couldn't help but be fascinated by that sense of determination, that will to impress even when the odds were so hopelessly stacked against him. She couldn't help but wonder what compelled him to keep trying, what drove him to try when all was hopeless. What-_

_"Ah! Darn it! Excuse me could-yes could-no? Someone…help please?"_

_The wood pile fell from his arms and clattered against the ground. The rest of the village continued to walk around him and paid little heed as he scrambled to collect the wood that had fallen around him. Every time he could get a few blocks of it in his arms, he would shift on his heels to get some more, loose his balance, fall, and the stack would collapse to the ground again. He tried desperately each time, but always found failure. Perhaps his only mercy was that nobody cared for his failure as it was to be expected, and instead of mocking him left alone to wallow in his inadequacy._

_"That's it boy! Keep up at a good pace and you'll be there by Ragnorak!" Astrid's father was the only one to break this paradigm of ignoring with his taunt, smiling at his jest and looking for Astrid to join him, which she quickly did to find another common thing for her and this man in her life to talk about. _

_"Yeah Hiccup! How do expect to fight dragon's if you can't even handle some wood?!" She yelled to him, hoping for a reaction. Instead he simply kept to himself, still struggling to pick up the wood and preserve what little dignity he thought himself to have. Whatever pain was inflicted on the outside, it seemed to do nothing to impair his interior strength, this intriguing will to push onward against the stakes no matter how hard they were, that determined fire that no flood could ever extinguish._

_"Ha…there's a good girl. Now come on Astrid. Yes he's funny to look at but that's all there is to him. Let's go home." Haldor reach for Astrid's arm, grabbing at just below the wrist and pulling her along. She complied with his request and shook away his grip quickly afterwards. As she began to move again, her feet followed her father but her head remained fixed on the square and this odd boy that still struggled, so close this time to wrapping all the wood over his forearms before it all fell away again. His muscles must have been far too strained by this point to even lift half that load, let alone the full thing. The further she drew away the more his face grew obscured. Yet she wanted to stay, wanted to see what she thought to be a quivering lip and tearing up eyes. Was it an outcome of her actions? Was she responsible for making him feel this bad? _

_She wanted to feel bad, but at the same time found such an urge overridden by emotions placed upon her, ones that made her treat him just like every other boy. One of the many she had fallen away from, one of the many she was being encouraged to be aggressive towards so as to keep him away. A boy that was always struggling, was always trying to prove himself to the entire village including her. He was so fascinating in a way the young do not have the vocabulary to explain or the emotional maturity to understand. But something was there, something she couldn't fathom nor did she wish to. It would be against her father's wishes, against all that she was told to become and all that she knew she was destined for. Something strange, something that she was told to revoke and hate but that was still always there, no matter how suppressed the spark of potential still burned, dim when necessary but prepared to explode at a moment's-_

_"Come on Astrid!"_

Cool grass was felt against Astrid's shoulder, and it was this sensation that caused the images within her head to scatter into darkness. Her eyes opened to find that the darkness of the outside world was only just beginning to give way to light, the horizon painted in a pale coat of amethyst that would surely relinquish to radiating gold and a cloudless sky of orange as the sun gradually took its place in the sky. The last few stars were becoming obscured as the light gradually chased the night away with as spectacular a display as usual. The world seemed stuck in a purple haze in these early hours of the morning, caught in the transition from night to day when most living things are still reluctant to part from the safety of slumber and make their travels in a world where every evil was revealed.

They had camped in one of the many rolling hills they had found in this land, having first kept close to the mountains that ran parallel to the border of Iberia and the land of the Franks for a few days before traveling further south. They had found little except a few castles, some scattered villages and a countryside of wide open pastures filled with slowly withering grass that was yielding the last of its bounty to the many flocks of sheep that traversed it. There was something strange about this land, an uneasiness in the soil and air that silently screamed from hilltops and moaned near the rivers. Something was aching this place, a struggle not of the world's own making but of those that tread upon it. People were few in the vast countryside, the world often quiet and forever in anticipation, as like a person that must be bled to cure disease and forever waiting for the blade to be applied. None of them could explain it, so they instead continued to fly into the country, hoping that the ominous weight to the air would eventually leave them.

Her gaze fell away from the magnificent sky and towards the warm body next to her, still held beneath the waves of dreams and loving every moment of this ethereal submersion. Hiccup really was so innocent when he slept, a humble and unthreatening body whose chest slowly rose and fell with each inhale from those barely open lips. His eyes still moved rapidly beneath their lids, a sign Astrid knew meant that the body was not to be disturbed. Instead she merely curled up to it, resting her head against his arm and letting her hand fall upon his chest. His heart beat slowly, thumping with lethargy as his body lay as still as the world around them. Though Astrid closed her eyes again and sought her own world of sleep, she found that her body had quickly become awake and alert even when she did not want it, a habit she attributed to her father always wanting her up and ready at a moment's notice.

She curled half a fist with her hand that lay upon Hiccup's chest, her dream still fresh in her mind. She could still hear the echoes of her father's voice, low and growling when he was serious yet high and nearly feminine when excited or in a maniacal rage. As much as tried to keep him out of her thoughts as her love for Hiccup and this life she had became more manifest, it was impossible for her to keep the only other important man in her life out of subconscious thought for long. He was a specter upon her dreams, lurking where she could not suppress him and coming out when her defenses were weak.

It was but one of many episodes that she recalled, of a youth she understood to be nothing but an effort to keep her from something she now loved more than anything in the world. She could not help but be furious from time to time that she had been manipulated in such a way to fight against something that now felt so natural, so right. To fight against the feel of this living being beside her-as well as the draconic friend she had made that surrounded both with his tail-seemed so pointless in retrospect. She wanted to hate her father for it, wanted to curse his name for the ages and never see him again.

At the same time, she could not find it within to force that sentiment upon herself. In the end, he was still her father, the man that had tried so hard to raise her right and make her the best. She couldn't deny this, that she was indeed a fine specimen of her gender and all that it could do. As painful as childhood had been now that she could see what lay beyond that shell, she could acknowledge that it had been for the best in preparing her for this journey, even if that had not been the original goal. That desire which she could now understand, the wish of the father to protect the last, precious reminder of another women left Astrid's heart torn. She wanted to be angry, but found that focusing her wrath on the man was so hard when she knew there was a time when she had been so willing to comply with him, and even now still wanted to live up the mantle of this legendary woman she had barely known. He was only a man that had tried to protect her, to make her the best. She wasn't sure if she would have made it this far, to have found the love that she had or to explore the places she'd seen if it hadn't been for her father. He was an enigmatic cloud that hung over her, one that she could never truly love but never truly hate. For now, he remained with her only as the memory of a useful man, a mental compromise Astrid was fine in agreeing to if it meant she could focus on more important things, like the boy beside her whose pulsating chest gingerly moved her arm up and down with each breath.

She opened her eyes again to see that the world had grown a little brighter, but the amaranthine shroud of a night that refused its concession to day still lingered in the light mist that hung over the field, the first few golden rays of sun shimmering off the moisture in the air. This was why she was grateful for her strength, for her tenacity, for her drive to succeed. So that she could savor moments like these, wrapped in the embrace of morning dew with the gateway to the wonderful world of young love held in her arm. Few things were created by the gods more for human appreciation than this cherished feeling.

Yet as intoxicating as this sensation was it was not enough to dull her senses to the vibrations that were becoming increasingly prevalent in the ground, shaking the earth with a strong drone that Astrid could feel with her ear that touched the grass. Raising her alert, Astrid listened further, sitting up and removing her arm from Hiccup as she looked through the mist to try and see what could be causing such a thing. Now could be heard the neighs of horses and the clinking of steel, both sounds that were rapidly making Astrid worried as they approached from both higher and lower on the slope on which they had made camp.

"Wake up!" She jabbed Hiccup lightly in the side of his chest, and when finding that it was not enough to rouse the tired boy she upped the power and put some anger into it, this time shattering whatever dreams the boy was having and dragging him into the world of consciousness.

"Uh…what-I-what…Astrid?" His voice was horse and dry from sleep as his brain began to shift his focus into absorbing the stimuli around him.

"Shh…I hear something." She whispered to him as she looked down the gentle slope they had camped on, seeing the outlines of many horses and the glare of torches through the haze. She listened for language, and heard strange, erratic waves of masculine voices ripping through the air. The tongue was strange and seemed to come from lands far more distant than this one, certainly that of a distant people that trespassed in this land for reasons unknown. Panicking at seeing the numbers of the horsemen before her, Astrid turned to rouse Toothless as well, slapping at his ear plates frantically as her blood began to pulse. There were a lot of them down there and she could see the outlines of drawn swords on their persons as the rising sun began to burn away the mist, revealing their strange clothes and darker skin.

_::Mmh…what is-Astrid, what is the meaning of this…of dear…::_ Astrid knew that Toothless was quickly picking up on the scents of horses and other men, but a new sensation quickly distracted them all from the horses below them, and instead the rapidly approaching thunder coming from above them. _::Oh my…get down!::_

Without time to scramble for the saddle, supplies and everything else necessary to make a quick getaway. Toothless wrapped Astrid and Hiccup under his body, but the girl could still peer out from the wings to the oncoming rush of horses and men that parted the mist and drove forward with a wall of lances presented not to them, but at the strange looking men further down the slope.

_"¡Cristo nos proteja! ¡Siervos del santo!"_

_"AMEN!"_

The battle cry rose up from the mass of horsemen as they broke upon Toothless like a wave of thundering flesh and steel, passing by them all as they barreled downward. In the center, a large banner rose up among them as the frenzied men continued their screams, a large red cross against a white background rose above the mist as a guiding light, golden trim shining in the rising sun as the cavalry thundered worth. The strangers, fearful and unorganized were seen to raise their swords and charge back nonetheless, seeming to prefer some manner of fight than fleeing without even a test of might.

_"ALLAHU AKBAR!"_

_"SANTIAGO!"_

The two battle cries collided just as the horses did the same, the whines of the nervous mounts and the frantic grunts and screams of the warriors clashing in a furious uproar as spears drove through their targets and swords fell to the ground alone with the vanquished holders.

"What the-"

"Come on! Let's get out of here before they circle back!" Being the most awake, Astrid took the lead as they realized what was going on. Whoever these people were, they had ignored the three of them in their charge. They could still use the mist to quickly get the saddle ready and leave before they were spotted and hopefully avoid this confrontation in which they had found themselves in the middle of. Astrid and Hiccup scrambled out of Toothless' wings and went to make ready, Astrid furiously throwing their blanket and pillow into the pack and Hiccup hoisting the saddle towards Toothless, who made ready to have the contraption put on him as quickly as possible.

"Come on come on!"

"I'm coming I'm coming!"

_::It is redundant for me to say, but alacrity is preferred right now!::_

Toothless lowered his head to let the leather slap onto his neck, but a new thundering of the ground came from above the slope again, another banner of white with a red cross stretching high into the sky and rapidly approaching them. It was a thunder of human feet, dozens of them that bore down upon them and could see everything clearly as the morning haze died away.

_"__¡El Demonio!"_

_"__¡Rodeadles! ¡Y cuidad de que no os hieran!"_

Men clad in chainmail and leather and equipped with crossbows, spears and swords circled around them, blades directed towards the humans and bolts aimed at the dragon. The banner flew high in the air and hung over them all as the circle was completed, without any opening but up, and the sky stolen by the reach of the crossbows. As much as the impetus of the recent moments made Hiccup and Astrid want to keep moving, they could see their hopes quickly dying in this mist, surrounded by this second wave of men that followed the charging horses.

_::This will be bloody I warn you…::_

"No. No Toothless they-I think they've got us." Hiccup muttered as he lowered the saddle, two sword blades aimed right at his neck and controlled by men who showed a great deal of discipline in the face of Toothless, a surprising amount indeed. They seemed to have overcome all forms of fear, driven and compelled by higher ideals to never waver in the face of such creatures.

_"__¡Manos arriba! ¡Que nadie se mueva!"_

"I-I think you're right here Hiccup." Astrid whispered, not liking the prospect of surrender any more than he but recognizing the finality of the situation. It had come quickly and without warning, at an hour when no man nor beast was supposed to be very awake, let alone looking for combat. Where had they come from? Why were they here? Why was there battle of all things?

_"Santiago!"_

_"SANTIAGO!"_ A cry of victory came up from further down the hill where Astrid could see a few of the more foreign looking horsemen fleeing into the hills and the more heavily armored and victorious men returning up towards them as they now clearly saw that which they had overlooked in the earlier charge. Horses began to ride towards them as men stained with blood and already exhausted after such a thrilling engagement came to meet them, more curious than frightened, almost happy in what they had found. A young one who bore a small golden crown upon his head rode ahead of them all, sword by his side commanding his pale horse with almost surreal confidence that seemed to be the defining trait of these people.

_::This…this is not good…::_

"Yeah no kidding bud." Hiccup mumbled as the thought of surrender truly began to set in. They were bested, not even Toothless with all his strength seemed likely to escape from this wall of flesh and steel. One of the men that encircled them spoke up to the man on pale horse that approached them, riding triumphantly and with a surge of confidence in self as a stain of blood across his armor and down his horse's side demonstrated his reasons to be so.

_"__¡Señor Félix! ¡Una excelente victoria contra los Sarracenos, mi señor!"_

There was a familiarity and passion in the man's voice, indicating that there was a closeness of fraternity between them. Not a bond of blood, but of ideals, a unity in cause that drew these men closer to one another and made them as close as family in the art of war. The man with the golden crown looked upon them all with a great fascination, interested in this sudden spoil that had fallen into his hand after so routine an action as combat.

"Uh…sir do you speak-

_"Silencio!"_

Hiccup was cut off as the crowned one raised his sword and looked around him to the men that seemed to all look at him for guidance. Behind him, the second banner of the cross came forward with the rest of the equestrians, waving triumphantly in the wind as foreigners from different lands were either killed or captured under its name. He drew the attention of all the men as he raised his sword and the banners followed suit, determined and jubilant with their victory.

_"__¡Amigos míos! ¡He aquí nuestro botín de guerra! ¡Dios está de nuestra parte!"_

_"SANTIAGO!"_

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

They marched throughout the morning, the cool haze of dawn giving way to a mild day as the sun reached its apex, the heat bound to quickly recede as soon as the sun was chased away. Hiccup and Astrid's hands were tied with rope and held behind their backs as they were prodded forward, the occasional tapping of a lance against the back or shoulders keeping them moving when they began to fall behind. Toothless had his mouth and wings likewise bound and many footmen watched him, crossbows never lowering in his presence. They knew what they were doing that was for sure, highly disciplined and having surpassed the basic concerns of fear that are so common in most other humans. After several efforts at counting, Hiccup surmised the total force to be a little less than one hundred strong, a third of them on horseback and the rest on foot. Those on horseback were the most heavily armed and armored, chainmail and small plates of steel glinting in the sun-at least where they were not stained with dirt and blood.

Those on foot were more so covered in thick pads of leather and cloth, some with a mail shirt but appearing to be of less high a stature than the horsemen. The banners of the cross were held up front, the wind surging through them and giving a divine transcendence to their movements, the men who carried them jubilant with their quick victory and these luxurious spoils that were carried behind them. The man with the golden crown marched triumphantly at their head, a gathered and confident soul to whom the rest looked up to with total dedication and loyalty. He was not too pale in his complexion but clearly showed some ancestry from peoples that had generations ago clung to life in the north. His hair was of a black stolen from the night itself, cut rather short so that it did not interfere with combat, which the muscles beneath his mail and the golden trim on his scabbard demonstrated his capacity for.

The horsemen up front talked to themselves occasionally but the footmen remained mostly silent, reciting prayers beneath their breath as sword, spear and crossbow were continually directed towards the human and dragon prisoners. Even if they were confident on the outside, Hiccup and Astrid could still see some degree of fear held deep within at the dark beast that walked beside them. Being aware of this attribute was their only relief in the situation. Toothless constantly sent complaints into their minds about how they should have tried to fight out of the encirclement when they had the chance, but after Hiccup's first attempt to reply and receiving a spear shaft across his back, he learned to just accept the complaints as they came and trudge onward, humiliated and with aching feet. Astrid appeared just as much frustrated by the circumstances, but accepted this blow to her pride with as much grace as she could muster, no doubt plotting within her head how to get out of this situation.

Just as the sun began to depart from its zenith and begin the steady movement towards the opposite horizon they began to approach a large fortress reminiscent of those they had seen in France. A medium-high wall of beige brick rose up on the outside, battlements spanning across the rectangle as it bent towards the unseen rear. A massive fortification that was the center of the castle rose up towards the sky, rounded towers fortifying each corner and with towers within the interior courtyard striving up even higher. A few sentries patrolled the walls, where banners of a lion and the ever present red cross hung in the hair with as much pride as the people who manned the walls. The gates opened up before them, the man with the crown-Felix as Hiccup had surmised from hearing him referred to several times- rode ahead and high in his saddle, standing on his stirrups and meeting a round of applause from other men and women within the walls of the keep.

_"¡Victoria padre mío! ¡Y un gran botín tomado de los infieles!"_

Cheers and congratulations in the native tongue rose from everywhere, the banners of the cross hoisted high in the hair and lances joining the flags in a demonstration of triumph. The main keep was tall and constructed with thick walls of the same beige brick and likewise lined with battlements and swarming with men that were dedicated to the martial tradition. Larger ballistae lined the tallest ramparts; multiple arcs of protection encircled the entire castle and guaranteed safety to the many men and women that sought protection within its walls. Many were soldiers, a few others of the more civilian assortment that were likely involved with crafts and the more menial tasks required to upkeep such a place.

_"Santiago!"'_

_"SANTIAGO!"_

Hiccup and Astrid were prodded forward with the threat of the points of spears at their back, Toothless likewise driven into the courtyard as more crossbows from the battlements were aimed down at them. This was a place well suited to the profession of war, one where a collective of people had gathered all under a common cause, well equipped and disciplined for among the oldest professions of nature.

_"__¡Hijo mío! ¡Fernando! ¡Qué trabajo más excelente has realizado! ¿Qué botín tienes ahí?"_

A man adorned with an even bigger crown addressed Felix, standing on a wooden stage surrounded by a few soldiers and an older woman-likely the mother of Felix-at his side. He visibly shared many of the same physical features with Felix as Hiccup, Astrid and Toothless were presented before the man, having passed the prime of life but by no means of weak body or will. The many soldiers spread out around the center of the keep, less martial looking people keeping back at the sight of the dragon as the armored kept a good distance, crossbows still aimed and spearmen prepared to lunge forward at a moment's notice. Felix dismounted his horse and went to take a place next to what appeared to be his father, who embraced the younger with a tight hug of gratitude that the son had returned safely from the battle. While murmurs among other people persisted in the background, silence fell over the area between the captured Vikings and the Spanish who eyed them with curiosity. There were a few whispers between Felix and his father before a call went up towards the masses behind them.

_"__¡Hidalgo! ¡Venid aquí! ¡Vos debéis traducirnos!"_

Another quiet moment passed as there was a rustling in the gathered masses. One man, tall with blonde hair and likely of the soldierly assortment when armed stepped forward, visibly nervous and annoyed at being summoned but complying with the will of his master regardless. He took a place between the captured Vikings and the authorities upon the stage who were still whispering to each other-not that Hiccup could see much use in that since they could not be understood anyway. Felix turned to this new arrival shortly after and proclaimed something further in Spanish to the new man, who in turn turned to Hiccup and Astrid with irritated tone and exhausted eyes.

"North men? This is what you are yes?" The man's speech was thick with the accent of the land but he was nonetheless comprehensible to the Vikings, who nodded in agreement as they all feared for every word that would henceforth be uttered. "I am Hidalgo, servant of Lord Fernando and his son Sir Felix. Sir Felix wishes that I translate his words into your language that you may understand what he says. He wishes to know your names and that of this dragon."

Hiccup and Astrid looked to each other briefly, trying to reconcile who would speak for them and how best to navigate the situation. Hiccup took the lead, impassioned to try and defend them all with words. He hoped that even if he could not fight for their freedom with weapons as Astrid so often did for them, he could at least try and find them a way to safety with intellect and reason-as best as these tools could be used against cold steel at least.

"M-my name is Hiccup. My friend is Astrid, our dragon is named Toothless."

Hidalgo turned back to Felix and Fernando and spoke in his more native tongue a moment. Fernando responded in turn, and so Hidalgo looked back to the Vikings, visibly irritated that he was playing intermediary between two so very different peoples.

"Lord Fernando finds your names funny. He wishes to know if you ride the dragon given the saddle upon its back, and if so why you are so far from the lands of your birth."

"We…Astrid and I have fled from the North for there was a great war with the dragons there. Toothless here is a good dragon, and we all have come southward to try and escape the violence." Hiccup hoped that if they pleaded innocence enough they might be let go, and proclaimed so as he tried to step forward. "Tell your lord that we mean him no harm in being-ah!"

The shaft of a spear whipped into his abdomen from the side, the firm wood nearly as tough as the steel at the tip. The blow sent the boy to his knees as the shockwave quickly moved from his abdomen across his chest and into his extremities. Astrid made to move forward in a sudden rage, but the clicking of wood against steel as crossbows were raised dissuaded her. Toothless likewise accepted seeing his friend in pain begrudgingly, uncertain if he could actually do something fast enough and have all three of them get out of this castle alive. The sight was infuriating the dragon, dragging forward even more painful memories than the reality and making the need to submit to the threat of death even more humiliating. Being forced to be so helpless was even force than being helpless itself, it was being forced to watch others suffer that was even more painful than one's own suffering.

"Oh gods…" Hiccup squeal of pain drew an eyebrow from Hidalgo, who thereafter spoke something back to Fernando and Felix that drew their attention as well.

"Do not approach Lord Fernando unless told so boy." Hidalgo muttered as guards hoisted Hiccup back up and set the boy on his feet, still reeling from the blow and nearly dry heaving as his abdomen warmed with fresh blood that rushed to relieve the battered area. Felix spoke up after giving the boy a moment to recover, Hidalgo translating "Now, Sir Felix wishes to know what you were doing in the field so close to the Moors. Are you allied with them?"

"N-no. No we don't know anything about these Moors, never did and never intended to. We don't even know who they are, honest." Why did they ever have to camp in that field? There had to have been a cave or a dense forest or somewhere else that they could have chosen. They had become sloppy, failed where they shouldn't have and it was costing them now. They had never wanted to get in the middle of this fight, this feud that bled the land and likewise nourished it with the blood of all caught within this epic feud of life and death.

Felix and Fernando spoke with each other another moment, eyeing all three prisoners separately and debating amongst themselves. Hiccup looked back to Astrid, each hoping for the best but knowing that the worst could possibly come. Shortly after Felix's voice rose again, being worked through the channel of Hidalgo into Norse for the prisoners.

"Sir Felix wishes to know if marriage has transpired between you two. He does not trust two young pagans of the different sexes to have not defiled themselves in what can only be presumed to have been a long travel."

The heat in Hiccup's abdomen quickly rushed up to his face at the question. He could feel Astrid likewise crumbling under the assumption and the collective eyes of dozens of men and women who no doubt were assuming the same thing. Granted they had managed to sneak in two more bouts of pleasuring the other when they could escape Toothless' company, but discipline had kept them from fully committing themselves to one another for now. Now they were not sure if such a thing would mean more or less to these people, or what their motive behind such questions were.

"No. No Astrid and I are not married."

Sir Felix's eyes opened and he smiled gleefully at hearing Hidalgo translate Hiccup's response. Neither Hiccup nor Astrid were particularly thrilled at the grin, but were interested in how it faded away once Felix and Fernando began to speak to each other again. A conflict seemed to rise up between them in the foreign tongue, infuriating the Vikings who desperately desired to know what was being said of their fate by these men that eyed each with a different kind of interest in their eyes. Both kept making reference to each prisoner with gestures of the hand at random intervals, likewise gesturing to one of the banners with the cross that only served to further their bickering. Felix seemed to be emphasizing its importance for some greater cause that Hiccup could not discern, while Fernando seemed offended by what Felix said about it and lashed back fiercely, making a sign much like the cross across his body and looking up to the sky for a second voice to his rage. Each used the same image for what looked like an entirely different argument, whatever opinion the cross had on the matter none seemed to care for.

"Uh…" Astrid let out a single vowel, she and Hiccup both interested and fearful at this heated exchange. The mother kept quiet for the moment but was visibly growing irritated with both men, aghast when Fernando seemed to say certain things about Felix and furiously livid when Felix spat some noticeably nasty things back to his father.

_::Whether in battle or in argument these people seem to enjoy fighting, such a fascinating trait.::_

"Uh…H-Hidalgo? Could we-could we…" Hiccup whispered to the translator to try and alleviate their distress by opening their ears to this debate. The bilingual man instead remained quiet, himself likewise fascinated by the argument and not wishing to add another voice to the chaos. Instead, a feminine shrill rose above it all, the mother of Felix slapping both he and Fernando across the face with an aged, bony but no less painful hand.

_"__Suficiente!"_

_"Madre__!"_

_"Esposa!"_

Both men groaned as they rubbed their cheeks from the tough strike, subtly shaking hands with another and groveling as the mother continued her own diatribe against them both, seeking to find a compromise between them and end this feud that prolonged the agony of the prisoners. After a moment Fernando began to address the Vikings and dragon again, accepting whatever had happened and giving Hidalgo the signal to prepare translating.

_"__Considerandola circunstanciasser…"_

Hidalgo paused a moment to allow Fernando a head start in his speech before gathering the information together more concisely and redirecting it to the Vikings.

"Well then…while Sir Felix wishes for you all to be here so that the dragon may be used to continue the fight against the infidel, Lord Fernando does not wish to have a demon such as the one you have in his land. He deems such things as heretical and against the laws of the chivalrous. The boy and the dragon are free to go…"

Hiccup looked towards Toothless to smile, but his happiness was cut down by Astrid's glare that reminded the boy that the speech as not over and she herself had not been mentioned. Alerted to this hang on words, Hiccup's heart accelerated at inferring that the love of his life was to perhaps suffer a far worse fate than his acquittal.

"However, Lord Fernando does see that there is an ever growing need for warriors in our war to reclaim the land for the righteous, and that his son is of fine stock and from a proud lineage. Sir Felix likewise knows this and desires to carry on his father's line for future generations to battle the infidel. Therefore, in exchange for the safe passage and lives of the boy and the dragon…"

_::Oh dear…::_

"It is requested that Sir Felix receive the hand of the Astrid girl in marriage."

Hiccup was not sure whose breath stalled for longer. By the time he could look over to Astrid, she was already steaming within her own skin, wrists pulling at the rope and fingers craving her axe. Silence pervaded once more, little but a few deep breaths and clinks of soldier's armor filling the void that the ultimatum had created.

_::Lusting after Astrid? Not exactly original now is he?::_

"Shut up Toothless." Astrid growled, her teeth incapable of being separated they were so tightly clenched. Her attempts to commit murder with her eyes against Sir Felix were to no avail, as the smug knight simply looked her up and down with approval. She was used to such things and even enjoyed it when Hiccup did so, but to know what surely lay ahead and against her will at the hands of arrogant looking knight was infuriating. Thoughts of Sir Godefroy came to mind, a man whose body surely rolled in its grave at knowing people such as this were considered equal to him in stature. She met Felix's eyes for a moment, trying to communicate rage with them.

"You rotten bastard…so bad with the ladies you have to buy one?!" She screamed at him, incapable of controlling herself and welcoming death if it meant avoiding this fate. She took a defiant step forward, nose wrinkled and lips quivering with rage. "Your dick so small this is your only hope of getting any you walking sack of shit? Huh?!" She took a few more steps forward, trying to further insult his supposed manhood and even breaking out some words that Hiccup had hardly even seen his father used. "You make one move on me and I'll rip it off and feed it to you! Perverted son of a bitch!"

"As-Astrid…I-I don't-" Hiccup was at a loss for words at the prospect of this separation, terrified of both options. If he said no and resisted, it would surely be the end of him and Toothless without even a fight. If he said yes, he wasn't sure if he would find a way to get Astrid back from this fortress, let alone in time before an honor that he had for so long coveted was stolen by a total stranger. Astrid had already made her thoughts abundantly clear, even if Hidalgo did not translate such language to anger the ears of their captors. Her defiance was impassioning and called to his desire to protect that is innate in even the weakest of all men. Overcome with a sudden rush of emotional fervor and a true terror that all he and Astrid had created for themselves might so soon by undone, he tried to rush to her side, illogically hoping some spontaneous miracle would allow them freedom from this nightmarish ultimatum.

"Astrid we-whoa!"

A crossbow bolt squealed with eagerness as it planted itself between Hiccup and Astrid, missing the feet of both by a short distance and driving the boy back in fear. Even more were aimed at him, daring the boy to damage what which was now seen as the property of Sir Felix, not any sort of individual person. Hiccup looked around to the surrounding Spaniards, who demonstrated no hesitation in killing him if necessary but still held back for the moment, preferring diplomacy since it meant less blood to clean up afterwards. Hiccup had taken a few steps back but still showed a desire to get close Astrid, who showed no fear at the bolt near her feet and continued to stare down Felix. The knight showed no reaction towards her, both out of his own arrogance and a failure to understand the obscenities directed at him.

"Step away from the girl Hiccup…or else I'm afraid Sir Felix will not be so lenient as he has wanted to be." Hidalgo spoke with authority to him, hinting at the spearmen by his side that took a threatening step forward and directed their weapons at Hiccup. The glinting steel was as stoic as the soldiers, willing to commit the gravest of sins if needed to appease the lustful desires of their benefactor. "Back away…_now_."

Hiccup's rapid breaths from the narrow escape with death slowed into desperate inhales as he tried to fight back tears of rage, not wishing to appear so weak in front of men who knew such emotion. Straining to both control his body and emotions, he erratically dragged his legs away from Astrid, her eyes drilling into his back as he was forced away, the will to live even more powerful than the broken bonds of love.

"Hiccup! Come on you can't-"

_"Silencio!"_

"You're really just going to let them-"

_"Silencio!"_

"Hiccup-"

A soldier came forward and bashed her with a shield, sparing a more dangerous amount of force to hurt her but enough to quiet her and drive her back a few footsteps. She held her low after the strike, incapable of touching the large sight where she had been struck and too humiliated to desire such a thing. There was nothing she could do to such an insult, both the strike and the fact that she was being left like, abandoned by the only person she could love who even if he wanted could not save her. If she let him continue as he was, he might screw things up even worse and lose what chance at freedom he had. As romantic an idea of them both suffering was, she become repulsed at the idea of her own indecision being the cause of this love of hers to possibly die.

"Do we have an approval from you, dragon-boy?" Hidalgo asked, seeing the impatience on Felix's face and hoping to bring the situation to a rapid conclusion. "If you do not reply soon then I am afraid the girl shall be taken by force-I cannot guarantee your safety if this is the case."

Hiccup was caught in indecision, furious at the circumstances placed upon him and wishing that neutrality could be its own choice in this question. Next to him, Astrid shook her head a moment before raising it high, shirking aside what hair threatened to get in her eyes as she looked to Hidalgo with a defiant scowl. "I accept."

Hiccup wished his heart had stopped right then, it would have allowed him to die rather than to hear the words. Turning his head to Astrid with a shocked expression he wanted to protest, wanted to scream and wail in pain and cry and do everything he could to stop this. Yet deep down he knew that survival was the better option right now, for both of them. It was a brave, selfless decision taken of her own will, giving up her freedom for the sake of another. No doubt painful for her in everything it represented as much as it agonized him to think of what would happen to her. Though he couldn't be sure, he thought he saw her fingers tremble in their binds as she repeated her acceptance with a trembling voice, as scared for herself as Hiccup was.

On the stage, Felix, Fernando and the important woman in both their lives all smiled in happiness as Hidalgo communicated to them the decision that the girl had reached. Seeing no reason to prolong the awkward silence, Fernando spoke once more not to Hidalgo but to his soldiers, who heeded his word with the upmost attention. A few went to undo the binds on Hiccup; others went to take Astrid and escorted her forward, past Hidalgo towards the awaiting lord and his son, who stepped down from the stage and looked to meet this fascinating young girl that had entered into their lives so unexpectedly. A few more wary soldiers approached Toothless, who snarled and growled from beneath his improvised jaw restraint.

_::We could certainly try to fight this, if I can just get a shot off at the leader I-::_

"No Toothless…it's too dangerous for both us and her right now. We can't. Don't. _Please_."

The dragon reverted to silence as his restraints were undone, immediately extending his wings to their fullest extent in an effort to intimidate that warranted a few crossbowmen bettering their aim on him just in case. Sighing, defeated in spirit just as much as he was in body Hiccup went to the dragon, laid a palm on the back of his neck and hoisted himself into the saddle, checking to be sure that the fake wing was still operational after such a long march and finding it still in satisfactory condition. His breaths were deep, his chest feeling as though it might disintegrate with each exhale as Toothless' own breathing was unsteady and hinted at a barely controlled desire to launch a suicidal attack if just to die with some honor after being treated like common property.

"My pack." His statement was just as much a demand, and he repeated it more firmly as he settled onto Toothless' back. He was not going anywhere without his provisions, even if the most important object to him was being led to within the interior walls of the keep. If he had to leave, it would be as the freeman he was and with all that such a man should have. Hidalgo repeated the request, and a short time after Fernando repeated it in his own language and the basket was brought forward by another soldier. Hiccup took it from the giving hand with aggression and vigor and quickly opened it to check for everything, finding that nothing had been touched. At least his captors had the class to steal only one thing from him, how proper. He slung it over his back and spread out the fake wing, gathering the interest of a few.

He managed one last look at Astrid's golden corona of hair as it drew further away from him, pushed towards a door of the keep where she would then vanish into the beige walls. She tried to turn back to him, sensing his eyes. All Hiccup could see was a set of eyes that were trying not to cry but failing and a quivering lip, emotions so strong that the mighty Astrid Hofferson could not contain. Hiccup wanted to yell his love for her one more time, but found that the spearmen were approaching, demanding his quick exit from the castle in fear that he might try something. Ahead, Sir Felix grabbed Astrid tightly by the chin and pulled her inconsolable face back to the doors, drawing his mouth in close and kissing her on the top of the head. Felix's chainmail and smug face obscuring the pinnacle of nature's beauty as it was led away from the one she truly desired, the sun of Hiccup's life obscured was obscured by dark hair clouds as the blonde vanished inside the walls.

Brimming with anger-the release of which right now would earn him a bolt through the chest, Hiccup silently drove his heels into Toothless' side and the dragon began to ascend, the arcs of crossbows and ballistae following them all the way up and away from the castle until they were out of range. The wind-though cool and soft-was no comfort to the two angry souls that sought out clouds to hide in and relieve their anger. The sky was beautiful, having put on a wonderful show to accompany the peak of sunlight. But it was not enough, nor would anything be so long as a greater star had fallen to earth and was guarded behind strong men and stronger walls. Soaring high above the earth that had now taken that which was so precious to him, Hiccup finally released his anger in a dark scream of rage that tried to reach the sun itself and inform it of the boy's anger. The roar would have echoed off the clouds were they solid enough, filled with an anger he never knew himself to have at thinking about what may be soon transpiring between Astrid and this knight who gotten lucky by virtue of their own stupidity. Exhausting his air in the yell and with less in the high altitude for him to rapidly restore himself, he fell back upon Toothless, breathing hard and still seething.

_::Let me guess, you want to commit a nearly suicidal attempt to steal her back with little to no hope of success?::_

"Yeah…you got a problem with that?"

_::On the contrary, just making sure you were as enthusiastic about that plan as I.::_


	26. The Enemy of My Enemy

Han the Sentry was cold.

Winter approached, like a ferocious fire that burned not with flame but with frost. While Han the Sentry had certainly seen many winters in his homeland, had experienced deep colds and seen the ravages of snow, the dark grey clouds upon the horizon appeared somehow different than the ones he had seen in other years. Winter in his homeland was simply a time of decay and hibernation, when fertility was momentarily halted and the world became still as the seasons passed as they usually did.

Yet here, setting sail into the Baltic Sea having travelled across vast plains in a steady march Northward over the past year, winter seemed so different. Stories he heard from men native to these parts revealed a concept of the season that was both different and the same, one of death and decay but amplified in such a way that it left a long and painful memory upon any person caught up in it. The winds whispered of the coming storms, of an endless barrage of snow that would engulf the world and bury it under a layer of deathly silence, where life struggled to sustain itself and desperately clung to existence as it was ruthlessly pummeled in the yearly effort to destroy it. Life was beginning to hide from the onslaught that would be brought against it, both from the wrath of nature and of the men that now set sail into these harsh Northern waters.

The wind brushed against his cheek, of a hue that crossed between brown and yellow that was mostly unique among these people that had welcomed him into their midst in the name of the great unifier of men that was war. Many of the men celebrated entering into these waters; those that they claimed were of their ancestors and taking deep breaths of the air that held the stories of epic histories that called the scions of the North on to bigger and better things. Han the Sentry enjoyed hearing of these tales, learning more of the army's dominant language and becoming fascinated with their lore that celebrated combat and strength, appealing to his deepest sentiments of masculinity. Here he belonged, carving out a path of destruction alongside fellow men who likewise rejoiced in the act.

In their wake, there was left nothing but a devastation akin to that described in the men's prophecies of the end times. Rivers ran with blood, cities smoldered, the countryside raped of all it could have possible offered and given nothing but salt in return. While the multitudes that Han himself had taken with him were disturbing enough, he knew that the men, women and seven children he had killed were nothing compared to the greater numbers that had fallen beneath the spears of the entire army. A few lucky men who were smart enough to be pride-less cowards had welcomed Lord Drago on his march, giving the army whatever they needed even if it was never enough. Some were given mercy, others simply exploited before being destroyed as the northward march continued without rest. They took everything and left nothing of use in return, absorbing the life of the land and cutting down all resistance like a great scythe, eradicating what they wanted for the benefit of the massive, interconnected system of organisms that composed this restless legion.

Some soldiers took great bounty for themselves, encouraged by their commanders to seek glory for themselves and to accumulate what wealth they could. Han the Sentry-with Lord Drago himself being his commander- instead held back, accepting what pay he was given in the name of discipline. While the spoils of war were enticing, Han the Sentry knew they were but a passing reward, and that true glory went to the valiant and committed. Indulging in the joys of plunder would only lead to a further love of such things, and distract Han the Sentry from the better joys of campaign, of seeing new places before they were burned and admiring the fascinating dragons that were conscripted into the army by Lord Drago's will.

The waters of the North churned and rocked in a ferocious manner, perpetually upset at the existence of any life outside its amorphous embrace and forever seeking destroy such beings when they set out into the sea's infinite midst. Once possibly serene waves of deep blue now seemed almost grey, reflecting the sky that mourned the destruction left on the ground below as the reapers life set sail once more. The caps constantly turned over in this sea still so close to shore, the foam of the top brushing against the hull of the ship as the hard wood divided the surface as the massive vessel was dragged further and further away from the sands of Slavic peoples and pulled onwards into the great frozen wastes of the North.

The mountain sized dragon that had portaged most of the fleet had recently submerged beneath the cold waters once more. Han the Sentry had become more than privy to the beast, being so often in Lord Drago's company when the commander went to inspect and yell at the beast. Han the Sentry was fascinated by the creature, more than capable of annihilating the entire army if it wanted but rendered nothing more than a puppet to so small a creature as man when in Drago's presence. Han the Sentry did not understand the beast or its reasoning, but remained enthralled in watching its eyes narrow and gargantuan posture cower in fright at the deep screams and the whipping of the bull hook that were a daily occurrence to discipline the mammoth beast. Lord Drago had told him that dragons of such size and age thought with logic, yet there was none to be had in deciding to submit to creatures so small and powerless against what the dragon could possibly do. There was something that must have lurked deeper, some kind of true emotion, some indescribable collapse of pride within the beast that would lead to such a state of submission as Han the Sentry saw every day.

The dragon pulled at the ship from beneath the waves, lurking beneath the grey waters and pulling on the massive chains that connected to the flagship of the fleet. Large wakes were left behind them as the armada gradually set sail from the Livonian shores, fading away from the land of the Rus and setting sail for the land where the forefathers of such settlers had themselves embarked on great voyages of discovery and conquest. So as they had done, Han the Sentry intended to do, fulfilling his dreams of youth that called him to see as much as existence had to offer before he was called to a new place beyond the momentary shell of mortality.

The dark waters were a mirror to the clouds above. Small drops of cold rain-just barely warm enough to have not become snow- began to fall. The sky mourned the chaos of destruction that was left behind them, and the rumblings of high clouds up ahead screamed for mercy for the many soon to come across this armada. The waters feared for the blood was that to gradually find its way to its endless depths, nature itself terrified at the wrath of the many men that it allowed to live. The call of war was never truly satisfied; no amount of blood enough to quench its thirst. Why so many had to die for now discernible point, Han the Sentry did not know. All he knew now was war, to appease the relentless hunger for land, plunder and blood that different men sought for different reasons. Onto the endless horizons, to war without end they sailed. All the North would soon know the wrath of Drago Bludvist, Han the Sentry would make sure of it.

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

"Is that him?"

_::Well he IS the most well guarded man among them and rides in a place of authority, I would thus venture to say that it is indeed their leader.::_

The sky was thick with clouds and had been since the early morning when they had first spotted this army. Looking back to yesterday, it made sense to Hiccup that the Moorish cavalry the Spanish had defeated before capturing them were not just a small group of horsemen but part of a larger, more powerful force. It hadn't taken long to spot such a large army from high in the air where the vistas expanded on for vast distances, any cloud of dust from scores of men on the march being easily visible.

After taking some time to gauge the distance between the legion and the castle-which both human and dragon had committed to memory-they had determined that it was indeed not too long a march for the massive army to undertake. Thousands of men that certainly had a hostility to the Spanish could be a very useful tool to Hiccup, if he could just get them to listen. Then again, just swooping into a camp of soldiers on dragon-back without any knowledge of their language and no guarantee that they would speak his own was not the best of ideas. They considered themselves lucky enough to have been allowed safe passage by the Spanish, even if Hiccup's abdomen was streaked with purple from the powerful blow he had received yesterday.

A select group of horsemen trotted at the head of the massive column of dull leather and shining steel. Banners of crescents waved in the breeze with them, in the center a man whose helmet and more solid pieces of armor were trimmed with gold rode with strong posture and a sense of confidence that being in such a position gives oneself. He was no doubt the leader, and presented their best hope to find assistance in their desperate effort.

"Do you think they see us?"

_::Perhaps, although if you would just allow me to stay in the clouds we could most certainly avoid their eyes entirely…::_

"Toothless I told you that if I go in one I'll just get wet, then I'll get cold and I could get sick. And if that happens I'm not exactly in the condition to either fly you or rescue Astrid now am I?"

_::Well perhaps if you humans were designed better you would not have that problem in the first place…::_

"Oh don't even start with that right now!"

Hiccup was still furious at what had happened yesterday and was willing to take his anger out on anything whenever possible. Bushes were kicked, trees punched, the air subject to a rambling tirade of obscenities and repeated aggravations as the boy feared for what things would be done to the love of his life that he had so long desired to be his privilege alone. Toothless understood these aggravations and accepted that his human friend was still more guided by emotion than reason for the moment, allowing him to lash out at the world that had inflicted such a damage upon him. Toothless was likewise bitter that they had been so humiliated and separated at the hands of the Spanish, but had quickly become more focused on planning Astrid's rescue rather than lingering on the insult of having her taken away in the first place.

_::I am sorry. Perhaps we should think about where we are going to take him though. I can only carry a human in my paws for so long before the fatigue becomes so unbearable. We need a secluded place where his men will need time to find us, and where he cannot escape until we are through communicating with him. The horsemen will move quickly to rescue him once we begin, so we will have to be fast in getting him to comply. Perhaps a more perilous setting will assist us in his compliance?::_

"…I'm sorry too. Yes I guess you're right, but where were you thinking?" As Hiccup looked through his squinting eyes into the surrounding countryside, he was disappointed in finding nothing but wide open plains and some small forests to utilize. No coves, no lakes with an island in the middle, just idyllic landscapes that while aesthetically pleasing did nothing to help either human or dragon in their endeavors. Staying in any of the places in the range that Toothless could carry both of them for long would be too risky and led to the chance of the cavalry finding them in these wide open spaces.

_::I am unsure. As much as I am certain you would dislike the idea perhaps we should hold off until they march to a different area? They are already heading in the general direction we desire, perhaps we should wait till they draw closer to a place where we can isolate the commander?::_

"Come on bud…" Hiccup lamented as he continued to look around, knowing time was not on his side and the longer they waited the less chances they had of getting Astrid back-both at all as well in the innocent form Hiccup desired.

An idea came to him as he looked to a nearby wood, where several exceptionally tall tress rose from the middle. These fathers of the forest, the oldest and strongest trees that had led to the creation of larger places stretched high towards the sky, the peaks of these woodlands virgin to the axe looking down upon their innumerable children. The withering leaves that had by now mostly fallen to the ground added to the many layers from subsequent winters and now eagerly awaited for when they would be joined by the next great molting of the next year. The bare, spiny, branches that jutted from the highest trees were a spark of inspiration that made Hiccup lay a confident palm on the back of Toothless' neck.

"Actually…I think I've got something here Toothless."

_::Oh?::_

"Yeah. Why not just bring him to a high tree in one of those forests nearby. He wouldn't want to fall from such a height, and that would guarantee us a quick agreement. Yeah the cavalry might catch up with us pretty quickly, but at this point it's our best bet. What do you say?"

_::There are worse ideas. Certainly many more better ones, but considering our mutual desire to have this done as soon as possible I will concede that this may indeed be our best opportunity. This is risky though, you understand?::_

"Yes Toothless, of course I understand." Hiccup moaned, exasperated that life had come to such drastic actions but begrudgingly accepting that sometimes these things _had_ to happen. Otherwise life would be boring. Satisfying, but boring.

_::It really is remarkable the things you have become willing to do for Astrid. I am impressed.::_

"Mmh? What's that supposed to mean?"

_::Oh think not that such words are meant as a jest to what you desire. Granted this plan of yours is highly illogical, but I am more so impressed with how you are willing to risk yourself all for the sake of MAYBE winning Astrid back. This thing you call love really does drive humans to insanely stupid actions. If there were any singular defining trait of your species, this would undoubtedly be it.::_

Hiccup sat still a moment, letting the cold winds reach past his cheek and through his hair that waved erratically in the high gusts. A brief contemplation was enough to satisfy him with the dragon's assertion. He really was doing something crazy here, but no matter whatever logic or reason he tried to apply to it, nothing was strong enough to overcome the desire to have Astrid back, to once more have her against his back as the three of them flew together the way they had for so long. Life felt deprived of some great treasure without the guarantee that he would ever see her again. As reckless, dangerous and suicidal everything Hiccup envisaged was, it still seemed like a better option than definitely going an entire life deprived of that one object that made the struggle of existence all the more worth it. It was indeed what made him human, but the acknowledgment of that fact furthermore prompted him to turn the question back on the dragon.

"Well you want to get her back too, doesn't that make you rather illogical?"

_::…You always try to get me on this point you do, why you try ever so vain I shall never know. While there is likewise danger for me as well as you, it can be logically justified on the basis that it is not my emotions, but your own that are at stake. Since I intend to protect you and Astrid, it is logical that I risk injury to my body to achieve this goal. Your separation from Astrid would put you in a state of emotional distress, and it is therefore logical that I relieve such distress.::_

Hiccup sighed, indignant that he was still yet to overcome the impenetrable barricade of reason that encased the dragon's mind. Even if the creature did make mention to emotions, they were always justified with sound reasoning. It was not that the emotions themselves were illogical, but the absence of logic in their use that was forever the object of Toothless' fascination.

"You just can't accept the fact that you care for Astrid and don't want to see her hurt…you know I'm right."

_::On the contrary, I accept that the absence of Astrid would negatively affect both myself and you, therefore it is logical for me to want her back.::_

"But you like her right? Doesn't she mean anything to you?"

_::Of course she does and I would miss her if she were no longer with us. I have grown quite fond of her company over the last year and her skills in battle have proved to save us on multiple occasions. But I am also willing to accept her removal from my life. Such would be the conclusion anyway. I have outlasted many generations of humans after all.::_

"…that's right." Hiccup moaned, lowering his eyes away from the gusts and stretching his fingers a moment solely for the purpose of reminding his body that it was alive. "… You'll outlive me to won't you?" Hiccup moaned, knowing they were being dragged away from what they should have been focusing on, but now that the topic had been brought up it could not be avoided. This was a point he had wanted to raise for some time, but had never wanted to lower their mood to such a depressing topic. Circumstances being what they were, there was little in ways of more depressing places to go. He could feel the ever constant warmth in his head, the slight din of Toothless' mental connection that never left him grow cold, fearful and he would almost say scared.

_::This is the most likely scenario I am afraid. I understand that human life is quite finite, some seventy years you would say?::_

"Ha! For a few lucky ones yes…but for the most part we usually die by some means after about fifty years of life-sixty if we take good care of ourselves. We're not like you, able to just postpone death so long as we don't choose mates. There are several people on the island that have done the same thing, and they've still died from age. We're…humans aren't very strong when it comes to standing against time."

_::I understand this. Such a thing does sadden me, think not otherwise. It is rather difficult for me to contemplate how my life would continue without-you are very spec-I fell that-…I would require a substitute to work my tail wing and keep it operational, and this would have to continue until the eons finally catch up with my body and take it unless I am otherwise killed by external forces. It would be a difficult life indeed.::_

The wind forever lashed and howled at them, passing over the two bodies that rode upon the endless gust. The warmth of the sun that grew weaker with each passing day struck against their backs, a gentle heat that sought to comfort souls overcome by a grim reality yet to come.

_::Although if I were to die by external forces along with you, this would also be an acceptable fate…::_

"Come on bud, don't think that way…"

_::I am merely saying that it is a possibility, especially under the current circumstances. We must be vigilant against whatever possibilities exist for us, pleasant or otherwise.::_

Hiccup sighed, looking down to the massive column that dragged itself across the countryside and left only a cloud of dust in its wake. This was real, the consequences were real. No second chances, just the usual progression of life with all the risks and benefits that it entailed.

"Well considering the possibility, I guess we've waited long enough. You ready? You think this will work?"

_::Well we are only swooping down towards an army of well armed soldiers at top speed and attempting to abduct their leader without either being killed ourselves or causing injury to his person and then trying to convince him to fight for our cause in a short amount of time and hoping he actually follows through by reasons of the always fault human trait of compassion. What could POSSIBLY go wrong?::_

"My thoughts exactly…let's go then!"

_::There are worse ways to die…::_

With a synchronized adjustment of the false wing and the contraction of the real ones both dragon and human began a rapid descent downward, the gusts no impediment to their steady dive. Seconds dragged on into individual eternities as the ground steadily grew closer and closer, the outlines of individual men and every accoutrement of war becoming steadily more detailed the closer they grew. Toothless gradually extended his wings and caught more air, turning the dive into a descending arc as the wind whistled chants of encouragement in Hiccup's ear. He could barely keep his eyes open in the ferocious gale, turning his head towards Toothless to escape the rushing wind so that he could still breathe.

Arms and weapons were raised to the sky as men tried to discern what was coming at them and whether or not it was a threat to be engaged. Hiccup couldn't bother trying to discern their faces or how much danger they were in as synchronized minds adjusted wings of flesh and leather and the duo began a rapid race above the tips of spears, an entire length of the weapon above them as they soared towards their target. The strange language of these peoples that felt more at home in distant lands of the sun passed by them without consequence as they pursued their target. The few horsemen who led at the front of the column began to panic as the black nightmare from out of the cruelest storms raced towards them, the wind howling as it was parted by the living shadow that used as much of its momentum as it could to accelerate towards it objective. Screams and orders were frantically called into the wind, but without the concentrated ears to hear they went unheeded. The man in gold trimmed armor flinched as the black phantom soared towards him, his guards on either side unable to move or control their startled horses.

"Now Toothless!"

With a wide extension of his wings and in sending a strong gust of wind at the many men of wealth and stature that rose ahead of the rest of the army, Toothless came to an abrupt halt. He hovered over the man in gold for a moment before grabbing him in his talons tightly and dragging him off his saddle, feet aggressively pulled out of the stirrups as the body was yanked higher, and the dragon pulled away with the new captive in tow. A few arrows flew near him but lacked the aim or power to do any manner of damage.

_::I have him! Now let us get to one of these trees and quickly, the strength of my talons has its limits!::_

"I know bud come on, give me all you got!"

Toothless pulled both humans forward as Hiccup guided him with adjustments to the false wing, quickly pulling away from the army at a good speed. While horsemen indeed raced forward from behind the infantry to pursue them, their speed could only reach half of the airborne dragon and they soon fell behind the reptile as it soared away and made good time towards a forest past several rolling hills.

_::I do not believe him to be very happy with us, his anger seems great and he will not stop swinging his legs, that is very annoying and may affect our flight trajectory.::_

"Just a little bit longer bud, there's the highest one in the forest, we'll go towards that!"

The dragon pumped his wings fervently and with determination continued to pull ahead of the pursuing cavalry, leaving them as nothing but a dust cloud on the horizon as the forest came closer and closer into view.

"Toothless, create the mental connection! We're not going to have much time here!"

_::I have already done so, and might I say that he has quite the colorful vocabulary. Not exactly a nice sounding one, but it is fascinating to hear nonetheless.::_

"It'll have to do, now let's do this!" Hiccup shifted the false wing and pulled at Toothless' saddle. The dragon used all his might to pull both humans up towards a tall pine tree that soared towards the sky and chased the ever-nurturing sun. Toothless ascended over the top before making a skilled drop of the weight within his paws, letting the man in golden armor grasp onto branches for dear life and managing to pull himself up and sit on a large branch on the top, terrified at his sudden height, the lack of escape, and the fire breathing reptile above him. Said reptile then lowered himself onto the tip of the tree; causing the whole plant to bend with his weight and once more threatening to send the Moorish commander to the ground were it not for the man's quick maneuvering to remain stable on the shifting branches.

"Alright Toothless you know what to say, tell him!" Hiccup could already see the dust cloud in the distance growing closer. Gods knew how many cavalry were coming for them. While he knew they could escape back into the clouds easily enough, they only had one good chance to win the support they needed. This was one instance when Hiccup was genuinely counting on Toothless' logic and calm demeanor to pull through for the both of them. Hiccup could feel the din in the back of his mind growing fiery and powerful as he heard Toothless' explanations and demands go forth into the mind of the Moor.

_::You sir, this al-Wahdid as you call yourself! Listen to me, for I am now within your mind and shall not leave until we are heeded! A female, the companion of my rider has been taken and is being forcibly bonded against her will to another man in a castle not far from here! We understand that your people and the people that have abducted her at feud with each other, and given that you have so many well-equipped men at your disposal; we request your assistance in freeing this girl from her bondage! Do you understand our request?::_

Toothless spoke with a commendable determination, abandoning diplomacy and decorum in the name of bombast and intimidation. Hiccup was impressed with the dragon's tone, if no less humored by the circumstances that must have been placed upon this terrified Moor. To have heard a language so foreign and from the opposite of the place of his birth at one time and now to hear his own language within his head that Hiccup mutually understood by the discretion of his own mind must have been a lot to take in. This was of course on top of being pulled right of one's horse by a legendary beast that had few numbers in southerly latitudes such as this. As the frightened Moor quickly tried to mumble something back in his language that hailed from the farthest corners of the world, Hiccup almost felt bad. Almost.

_::He is resisting for the moment, asking why he should waste time and men on such a task when there is no discernible benefit for him. Furthermore, he is still rather irritated at us suddenly taking him from his horse, and says that he does not have to say anything to us.::_

"Oh really…?"

_::I thought so.::_

Toothless stomped on the top of the tree, a mild push of his foot enough to shake the thinner branches where the Moor sat and once more causing him to panic for the long and undeniably painful journey down. His heavy armor did him no favors in making balance a difficult matter as the branches bounced and clacked together as they were shaken.

_::Now…on the matter of reward, it shall be that you will have the satisfaction of defeating one of what I can only assume to be many enemies you have and winning yourself great glory in the process. We only ask for the man power of your army to do what it was meant to do urgently, for if we waited for you to make such a move the girl we desire may already have been harmed. My rider Hiccup and I can provide you with details of where their wall defenses are strongest and weakest for your assault, as well as assist in destroying their artillery so that it is not a threat to your soldiers. All we ask is that the attack begin as soon as possible. Is this understood?::_

The Moor with skin that belonged to a more southerly place was caught in silence for a moment as the offer sunk in, the dust cloud of approaching cavalry rapidly growing thicker as the first vague images of galloping hooves manifested across the hills. Hiccup looked down from atop the dragon into the Moor's eyes, dark brown and in an odd mixture of contemplation, fear and genuine interest. Within his mind, Hiccup sent innumerable and repetitious prayers for the gods to give this man the proper answer and to guide his exotic tongue in responding. His lips began to twist in the final moments of contemplation as sounds crept out from the bottom of his lungs, unintelligible to Hiccup but being perfectly comprehendible to Toothless' ability to know all thoughts, regardless of language.

_::He says that he is willing to help us, but only because his soldiers have not tasted battle in a long time and grow hungry while on the march. They are likewise growing restless and threaten mutiny if they are not given battle and some manner of plunder soon. He does agree to our condition that we provide him with intelligence about the layout and defenses of the castle, but I find that we have made an ally.::_

"Great!" Hiccup exclaimed as the cavalry grew closer. While he knew he had allegiance, he could not trust all parties involved to not be aggressive towards them until all matters were settled. "Tell him we will arrive at his camp when the army makes it tonight and will meet him there. Have his men know that we are on his side now and that we shouldn't be seen as a threat when we arrive. We will take him down to the ground now."

_::Excellent. Come on then al-Wahdid, you have had your fun!::_ Toothless gently but rapidly expanded his wings and let the wind catch them, the tree straightening and the Moor once more gripping the trunk for dear life at the motion. Hiccup and Toothless let the entire tree steady itself before quickly diving in and once more pulling the armor covered man up into the dragon's grasp, the new found alliance doing nothing to make being held at such a height above the earth any less frightening. Though Toothless complained more of the strain at holding the heavy man, he set him down gently on the forest floor before the combined efforts of dragon and human propelled the two back up towards the clouds. The horsemen below yelled at the sky with swords drawn and searching for the source of familiar words as their commander found his way out of the woods, hands raised and promising of glory yet to come. Chestnut and ashen steeds circled around their point of authority, gesturing to the sky but lowering their blades as they heard wild words stumble their way out of their commander's mouth.

"Well…that went well enough…" Hiccup muttered as both he and Toothless raced for the sanctuary of the heavens. The dust cloud of nearby army still rose like the smoke from a moving fire, the legions no doubt confused as to what had transpired and bound for a surprise when their commander returned with news of oncoming glory.

_::Well enough certainly, now we only have to rely on them to follow through. We should hope that his word means something, no matter how genuine it may sound.::_

"I know…but there's always hope right?"

_::True, another one of those decidedly humans qualities. Your kind really are an enigmatic lot.::_

"Would you have it any other way?"

_::Not so long as I live.::_

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

"Go die in a well."

" …guess I'll have to tell him that his hair reminds you of the luscious manes of the finest horses…"

As Hidalgo translated his own lie into Spanish, Astrid gave a small smile. The language barrier that existed between she and her husband to be was the only thing that allowed for humor in this frustrating situation. Sir Felix smiled and laughed, passing a hand through his hair that had been complimented only in the words of the translator. Astrid delighted in this circumstance, the ability to insult at will and knowing Hidalgo would just translate it into something nice so as not to upset Sir Felix, the young knight being none the wiser.

The late afternoon and evening of yesterday had left Astrid mostly to herself, being waited upon by servants who brought her new clothes and a private dinner as she made herself as comfortable as possible in the spacious cell given to her. While well furnished with a bed of linen and furs, a nicely crafted armoire and tapestries celebrating the native faith, the one, small square window that could only fit a few song birds at any given time was a constant reminder to Astrid that she was indeed a captive, no matter how gilded her cage may have been.

She awoke in the morning to find a young female servant waiting at her door, who insisted that she change into the clothes she was given. The tough but reliable garments that had been acquired throughout France were taken from Astrid as she was coerced into wearing that which was provided for her. It was a single dress, colored as red as freshly spilt blood with wide sleeves along the forearm and a cumbersome, sweeping skirt that descended from her waist-around which the whole ensemble was tightly fashioned with a rope of thin, pink silk. While it was certainly a well made and luxurious garment, it would not serve any person well in an escape nor was it practical for any manner of serious work. The fabric was delicate and tended to catch on the smallest imperfections of wood or any other surface. It did not grip the body, but instead hung over it like a massive drape. The thin belt around it was likewise useless, more so decorative than capable of tightening as the thin and frictionless fabric barley hung around the waist as it was. She could not understand how anyone could enjoy wearing such a thing, let alone doing anything whilst imprisoned in this loose robe. It was ironically those with power, those who were the freest in the world that wore the most restrictive clothing, imprisoning themselves with loose, useless garments to check the liberties they were allowed.

Astrid was given a more proper tour of the castle and its various trappings throughout the day, Sir Felix and Hidalgo having stayed with her along with a few guards. No amount of polish could change that the facts were as they were, that Astrid was being held against her will and force would be needed to keep her in her place for the time being. Sir Felix would often take her hand and kiss it as they looked out from impressive vistas from the various ramparts and battlements lining the fortress, an insult she was forced to endure for the sake of keeping the situation as stable as possible. Chaos would only lead to unnecessary pain and difficulties for her, especially if she intended to get out of here and soon.

"Now he would like to say that he intends to slay ten Saracens a month just for you, so powerful is his love."

"You can tell him to chop his dick off with a rusty spoon."

Astrid smiled back with glee as she spat the insult. She took great satisfaction in listening to her translator sigh with exasperation as the tired man once more spun her hatred into the romantic yearnings he knew his superior desired to hear.

_"__Ella dice que por cada sarraceno que mates, ella te otorgará el doble de esa cantidad en amor."_

Astrid rolled her eyes as Sir Felix smiled at the words that were spun from their harsh Norse intentions into the sweet, loving trills of Spanish that hinted at the romantic power held deep within the land so currently overcome with strife and hatred. She knew that Hidalgo was growing tired of this game, but she did not think that he was ever going to just give up and actually translate what she felt. He was a man that seemed caught in a situation he did not want yet at the same time did not want to escape. He had been complacent and willing to reach his hands across the barriers of language all day for the both of them, and for this Astrid respected him even if he was part of the broader group that had led to circumstances as humiliating as the current ones.

She sat near the end of a long table, Hidalgo seated at her right and Fernando sitting at the head, his wife at the lord's right and Sir Felix across from Astrid. Numerous other knights who talked amongst themselves and no doubt were envious of Sir Felix sat along the rest of the table's length, ripping apart a massive feast of boar and mutton with bread and wine to further alleviate whatever roaring appetite they desired. The day had been declared one of celebration, tomorrow declared to be one dedicated to working in order to prepare for the wedding the day afterwards.

This sudden rush for the ceremony did have Astrid worried. She knew Hiccup and Toothless had to be out there somewhere, planning on a rescue. As much as the pessimist within her feared that they may simply have abandoned her, she knew better of the boy she loved to just up and leave her here. After all they had been through, how far they had gone, how much more they had planned and dreamed of doing there was no way that he was simply going to leave her to this fate. Every dark finger of doubt that brushed her thoughts was driven back by hope, however blind and desperate and frantic it may have been. Yet as the sun set and no black silhouette was seen on the horizon, fear tainted hope and made each dream of rescue a little more difficult to imagine. Each passing hour meant her fate drew nearer; a privilege she wished to give would no doubt instead be taken from her by force. She tried not to think too much about it and remain optimistic, but every now and then a flash of what the future would hold, of what her body and soul might become if abandoned to a false love she did not want sprung forward into her conscious thought, the natural desire of fear proving too powerful for the thin veneer of confidence to hide.

She knew she couldn't be too mad at him for what had happened, it was the best option at a time where there really were no other ones. Still, the humiliation of being treated as she had been, as mere chattel to be exchanged for liberty was demeaning. It was as though her dignity had been stripped away, that she was for a moment not Astrid but instead simply a girl, an item to be exchanged to satisfy the carnal desires of others. Even if Hiccup had never meant for her to feel such a thing, this was what she was forced to endure. She was but a girl in a red dress with pink silk belt, a virgin to be taken like any other spoil of war. She was like a chest of gold or exotic fabric, something that should be earned but was instead taken because earning such things was too much work. After all, why work for love what can be taken by lust?

"He says that he cannot wait until the wedding and when you are made one flesh."

"You can tell him he can sew his mouth to his asshole and eat shit."

_"__Ugh...Ella también anhela vuestro amor, su espera es interminable."_

Hidalgo leaned back against the back of his chair with a groan, rubbing his brow with a calloused and wrinkled hand and pinching the bridge of his nose in aggravation at his long day that Astrid insisted on making longer with her constant bile, as amusing as it was. Sir Felix had turned away for the moment, speaking with the knight next to him who nearly choked on his meat when told some manner of joke by the husband to be. Astrid was relieved to be momentarily free from the knight's lustful gazes and pitiful flirtations in a language that ever so barely resembled that of the Franks but was clearly diverting along its own course, bound for a separate destiny as another branch that stemmed from an ancient and once mighty tree. She likewise leaned back a moment, running fingers through her hair that was still growing at a good pace but was a long way away from the long strands she had been forced to abandon during the summer. Another sacrifice she had made for the sake of saving Hiccup. She hoped he was grateful for all she did, even if she knew she had enough dedication to stay with him through the end of the world. Provided he would finally show up and save her from this place of course.

"Haha…oh you are lucky I have enough of a lack of respect for my superior to play along with your game Astrid. If I told him what you actually meant, I fear for what Fernando would do to you for insulting his beloved son in such a way." Hidalgo groaned out with a laugh, getting Astrid's attention as he sat forward and grabbed his cup of wine, holding it tightly but not yet drinking.

"Well can you blame me?" Astrid dryly retorted with a malicious smirk. She grabbed at the long sleeves of her dress and tried to pull them up, finding them too warm in the tight confines on the dining hall where the fire of candles and the many collected bodies stifled whatever cooler morning air seeped in through the high windows. The loose fabric would however not stay up very well as it did not grip her arms tightly nor was it sewn for any purpose other than covering the body, further revealing just how imprisoning loose clothing could be. She growled and tried to throw the cuffs down, finding they remained attached to the rest of the sleeve and refused to be discarded just by virtue of their wearer's latent anger.

Hidalgo shook his head for a short time before once more smiling and beckoning with a turn of his head for Astrid herself to lean forward. She did so, interested in conversation where she could talk properly in her native language. Hidalgo himself was an interesting man, mysterious in temperament but open enough when finally pinned down in the few times Astrid had been able to talk to him throughout the day when Sir Felix was not constantly using the man as nothing more than a translator.

"No…no I cannot." He chuckled in a tired tone. "Were I in your position, I would probably do the same thing."

"Yeah?"

"Oh of course. Do you think I am exactly supportive of this idea? Having to be in the middle of that tense negotiation yesterday was difficult enough, this long day has worn me down. This effort by Sir Felix to prove himself a man is but an irritating distraction from more serious and important affairs. I would have much preferred it if you and your friend and that demon that you somehow control had never been captured…would mean I could have slept this morning…"

Astrid couldn't help but giggle at Hidalgo's dry humor, one that spoke to a latent irritation but a willingness to forgive a girl who had done nothing more wrong than trying to save her friends.

"Oh trust me; I would have much preferred not being where I am now as well. Sir Asshole over there isn't exactly what I had in mind when it comes to husband material."

"Ah, and I assume that young boy you were travelling with is? Hiccup is strange name for a household I must say."

Astrid was caught with words stuck in her throat, ones that leaped out from her heart and were desperate to be proclaimed but that were held back by the forever present sentry of reason and contemplation that the mind imposes upon the body. Dreams of the future and memories of the past collided in a short skirmish at the back of her tongue, tearing words apart and rebuilding them into different sentences as such a large question was frantically filtered and considered in too short a time than should be given.

"I-I…uh…well we have been traveling for a long time now, almost a year in about two months time. I mean we…well we love each other and everything…but we're both young too. I don't-I mean I don't know. Maybe? I mean he's all I've really got right now…"

Hidalgo piqued his brow at her rambling and indecisive answer, cracking a small grin as their eyes met and the girl broke out into an awkward laugh, herself knowledgeable on how poor her response was. She reached for her own cup of wine and took a small sip, finding the beverage had a potent odor and a strong, stingingly sweet taste as what amount of it she consumed danced upon her tongue before diving down her throat. She brushed her fingers through her hair again, nervous and confused with herself but still preferring this conversation over the obnoxious flirtations of Sir Felix, who was now fully engrossed in his own conversation with the knight next to him.

"Ah…well don't worry yourself girl. You are indeed still young; life may in fact be long for you. Time shall indeed tell. It is nice to see though, two young lovers making their way in the world. Your use of the dragon does disturb me as the man of God that I am, but considering that he seemed fairly well controlled by this partner of yours I am willing to forgive such transgressions. You have no doubt come far yes? There are not many speakers of this language in these parts."

Astrid relished in the ability to escape the present by delving into the past, and smiled as she began to speak. "Oh yes. We're originally from an island called Berk, _way_ up in the North in this archipelago beyond Britannia. Hiccup-it's a funny story actually…you see we were constantly fighting with dragons, have been for three hundred years. Of course Hiccup just _had_ to be the one that developed some contraption to shoot Toothless-the dragon you saw us fly away on-"

"Toothless?"

"He-he can retract his teeth when he flies so that it is more comfortable for him. Not important. Anyways…he shot Toothless down and ended up inadvertently trapping him in a cove where Toothless couldn't escape. Then…I mean it's just amazing now to consider it like this…he and Toothless actually became friends. They bridged a gap between our species that nobody else had ever been able to do. One of Toothless' wings was injured and Hiccup helped him to fly again and they bonded over that. Then…well I discovered him when he was planning on leaving with Toothless and…well he sort of…accidently kidnapped me."

Hidalgo's breath stalled a moment at the odd phrase, leading to the man sampling a taste of his wine again before gently setting his cup down and peering over at Astrid.

"How-how does…how do you _accidently_ kidnap someone? Did you will for yourself to be taken? If so then how is this kidnapping?"

"Well…no…I mean-yes he did _technically_ kidnap me at first after this whole fiasco where he had managed to hit me over the head with a rock…"

Hidalgo's eyes widened at the statement and Astrid quickly went to try and counteract such sentiment. To her the details were so easy to understand as she was a participant to this madness, but she could understand that what had befallen her might befuddle the outsider. It was unique what she and Hiccup had, that was for sure.

"No! I mean…after I woke up, we agreed that I only had to stay with him for a limited time. And so I decided to stay with him for a little while, and then that little while turned into a few months after we left Ireland and then…" She drifted off, trying to find the right words to say as she recounted the long year she had spent with Hiccup, one that had so powerfully transformed her and left her filled with emotions that had flooded her former being and replaced her soul with the fresh silt of growth and maturation. She looked into the fire of one of the candles of the table, the erratically dancing flame entrancing and providing a point of focus as memories of Irish seductresses, days huddled together in a Welsh cave, hot nights of painfully withheld passion in France, each brief point in time a brick in the new house of her person.

"Mmh…You really do love this boy don't you?"

"I do..." She mumbled, focusing on a lithe figure topped with auburn hair that made the prospect of being anywhere near a black haired knight at least tolerable. Said husband to be was still engrossed in his own conversation, missing the opportunity to gaze into her majestic eyes and spending such a moment instead dazzling his own with a large gulp of wine. "And I know he loves me back…"

"Impressive, if he is brave enough to come back and attempt a rescue I will then believe such declarations of emotion…" Hidalgo spoke half in a jest but with an irritated growl, not one of anger but of disbelief, a lack of faith in that most abstract and ethereal emotion that draws the sexes together. Intent in carrying on conversation, Astrid turned to the man who huddled over his drink and circled a finger around the rim of the cup.

"What? You don't believe he could love me that much?"

"I believe in love the same way I believe in God. I have experienced neither but know both to be powerful beyond imagining. And while I do not doubt in one or the other, neither is yet to truly reveal itself to me."

Such strong words drew Astrid's attention further into the face of her translator, which she could finally see without impediment or distraction for the first time that day. He was of the class of men whose body did not so easily give in to the march of age and that maintained a rather youthful appearance despite what his count of years might say to the contrary. His brown hair was cut rather short and allowed his fatigued but perseverant face to be seen unimpeded. He was of the kind that was not one to boast of overcoming the many tribulations that life had given him, but that did not mean there were not stories to be had.

"Really? I mean…you're pretty old right? Old enough? You must have loved someone at least once in your life…right?"

Hidalgo merely chuckled a moment before taking a sip of his wine, looking over the assembled knights with a short glance filled with an unexpected bile and frustration that Astrid did not understand.

"Well…love was like many things stolen from me in life. You see I was not born a free man I-well I was _technically_ born free as we all are…but not all boys stay free for long. I was born in this land to a father of your northern blood and a native mother. However…when I was only a small child-half your age and a little younger-the Moors launched one of their many expeditions into this territory, looking for victory, territory, and loot in the forms of both persons and gold. My parents were both killed when a raiding party of cavalry came to our village… and I was taken southward as a captive."

Astrid sat attentive, lips open a short way and eyes focused as her translator opened up, his tone was like an iron sword-once sharp and fierce but having become rusty and dull with the passage and time. Time did not heal all wounds, some just scarred less than others.

"Our enemy the Moors, they are ruled from a great city, mighty Cordoba. They are a wicked and decadent people, who indulge in the sins of this mortal world and refuse the simple life of truly God fearing men. It is a city draped in gold, lined with silver and that smells eternally like sweet perfume. It is like a massive jewel, as though entering into the insides of a shining diamond and being surrounded by fake, physical perfection on all sides. It is the center of their might, the spoke in the ever-turning wheel of assault and raid that ravages us every year. It is there I was taken after I was captured. I was fortunate enough to have been abducted by one of the more high ranking groups of cavalrymen that had entered our lands, and was handed over not to one of the masses as most slaves were, but given to the palace where their ruler-the caliph-lives.

"What-what happened there?"

"Ha…I was put to work, what else? At this point the former caliph, Hakam as he was called had died, and his son whom I served was but a figurehead. It was Almanzor, the commander of their armies that wielded true might, for he who controls every sword has nothing to fear from a man unarmed. For many years I worked in the palace, using the library that Hakam had built to better teach myself the languages of both my mother and father when time was available. It was when I reached a proper age of manhood-what can be considered such for me-that I was taken out of that palace and mustered into Almanzor's army. I was indeed relieved to be free from that place, so rife it was with sin. Hisham indeed took after the failings of his father that is for sure…"

Hidalgo chuckled another moment and took a sip of wine, an elixir that was now as necessary for the soul as it always was for the body. "And so I was given a spear and thrown into the fray, sent to spill the blood of my brothers in the faith I had nearly forgotten. Were it not for similar slaves in my position who taught me the tenants of righteousness I would have totally lost myself to the blasphemy of the Moors. I quickly grew to dissent against my actions, no matter how much in spoils there was to be taken. I was fighting for the side that had tried to trick me into being something I wasn't, had tried to undo the actions of my baptism with lies and promises of the treasure they had come looking for when they had stolen me away. Heathens…"

The translator stopped a moment, his fading words stealing back away within his mouth. The sentiment that rose within him was a difficult one to cope with, one that if he wasn't careful he would end up shouting in a rage and preferred to keep in a low grumble for now, to let it simmer until it could be released in battle against the peoples responsible for such feelings.

"About ten years ago now there was a battle. Our army was defeated and Almanzor died a few weeks later from the wounds he suffered. The army was in disarray at that point due to a lack of leadership, and so one night I slipped away from my post and fled into the hills to avoid capture. I fled for days, was close to death from lack of water when I was found by the younger Lord Fernando. He took me in, and now I fight alongside my brothers in arms for the glory of God! Together we fight, each a sword to be wielded against the infidel. We are committed to fight until the entire land is reclaimed for the righteous as it once was…to defend all peoples from the incursions of the Moors and to be guardians of God's children! We are the mighty few who stand against the forces of blasphemy and have devoted ourselves to a virtuous and chivalrous life until we die in defense of what we hold dear!"

A loud, roaring belch burst forward from Sir Felix's throat, silencing the entire hall as the guttural noise dragged on for a long moment, echoing off the walls and ringing in everybody's ears as it drew to a gradual close. The first wisps of the air now tainted with half digested were an aromatic punch to Astrid's throat that arrived just as the rounds of applause and cheers of encouragement rose from the many knights along the table. Even Lord Fernando joined in with a slow clap for his son, the wife and mother of both respectively simply clenched the bridge of her nose and bit her tongue at the usual result of drinking for the sake of victory. Hidalgo took his own wine cup and without giving into the applause leaned back into his chair, giving a low groan as his own more passionate emotions were forced to subside.

"Ugh…at least we're supposed to be…"

Astrid could feel the man's soul deflate, his ambitions and dreams crushed by the always disappointing realities of life. As the foul odor of Sir Felix's breath dissipated into the air and was purged by the nearby candles, she couldn't help but feel sorry for her translator.

"So this is why you have never loved? Life has just been too poor on you hasn't it?"

"Hahaha…" Hidalgo chuckled, much to Astrid's surprise as the man raised his cup back to his lips, not intending to drink until he got in one short, final statement. "Well you could say that, although the more practical reason is that when I arrived in Cordoba I was-well let's just say that if you work in a palace, the Moors prefer men who are…_less_ _than_ men."

"Oh…" Was all Astrid could mutter as she leaned back in her seat, slightly distressed at such a personal detail that-while the act itself did not so much pain her thoughts-the thought of the good man that beside her befalling such a fate was a less than welcome one.

"Yes…a pity I suppose. On the bright side, I am not forced to suffer the desires affiliated with that which I lost, but there is always that little voice in the back of my head that wants to find a wife and have children. Just another reason I fight, so that other men can have their own families and women to love. Still a shame though, in my many campaigns and in daily life I have met several women who would have made fine partners, but I guess without such distractions I can look beyond them, to become the finest warrior of God that I can be in my short time in this world."

"I'm-I'm sorry…" Astrid mumbled, seeing a man truly denied one of life's finer pleasures by virtue of the necessities of other men. She looked around to the other men who drank and celebrated their lives where they had never had to give up on the very meaning of their personhood. And yet they seemed to be missing something else, what they held in their bodies they lacked in their souls. A certain zeal, a passion for dominance born out of submission could not be found in them, and so they appeared less like warriors and more as men with swords, deprived of the very quality that set apart true men of ideals from the followers of such.

"Thank you, if I cannot have love I can at least have sympathy and friendship." Hidalgo started as he turned towards her, a genuine, compassionate smile writ upon his face that demonstrated a soul's conquest over the failings of the body. "A shame though, you have such a pretty face."

"I do…such a shame…" Astrid gave a complementary wink to Hidalgo's innocent flattery as she looked over to Sir Felix, who lifted himself up from his chair and took a moment to steady himself on intoxicated legs before hoisting his cup in the air, a small splash of the rich red nectar spilling over the rim.

_"__¡Amigos míos! ¡Un brindis por mi futura esposa! ¡Que Dios preserve nuestra unión hasta el fin de los días!"_

_"__¡Que Dios nos ayude!"_

A load roar of agreement came from all gathered knights including Hidalgo before the dinner went back to as it had been, of private conversations that spat wisps of the native tongue in every direction. Sir Felix uneasily sat back down in his seat before leaning over and taking a long gaze at Astrid. The girl sat stoically, deciding not to attempt foolish brazenness and simply allowed the drunken man to speak whatever incomprehensible words could drag their way out of his throat.

_"__Pronto, mi amor, pronto os mostraré el hombre que realmente soy... ya lo veréis_..." He trailed off as he felt the passion for speaking leave him, leaning back into his chair and being quiet for a moment before the knight next to him cracked another joke that sent Sir Felix into a daze of high pitched laughter. Once more free from the looks of her capturer, Astrid looked to Hidalgo for guidance.

"Well? What did he say?"

"Oh…just some bragging about what he will do to you on the wedding night."

"Oh…" Astrid grumbled, still upset at that unpleasant possibility if rescue did not come soon. She did not receive pity from Hidalgo, only a dry laugh of amusement.

"Now don't you worry my friend, if what you say about love is true, you shall be free to have a wedding of your own design soon enough."

"You're pretty confident about that aren't you?"

"Well…" Hidalgo started as he sipped the last of his wine. "As I've said before I know neither love nor God, but a truly wise man fears both."

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

**Hello Peoples!**

**Here we are then. I again apologize about the delay with this chapter, but life is now sorted out and we are now back on track. Thank you for your understanding. **

**Now then, the wheels are turning in Spain it seems. It is a race against time to preserve Astrid's innocence, who shall prevail? We shall see next week, guaranteed. Much thanks goes to "ItsasUmbrella" for translating the necessary Spanish and "Writer for the Tylwyth Teg" for her always helpful work as Beta to this story. I have also gone back and improved Chapter 1 as promised as part of a gift for my absence last week, hopefully it meets the better quality of these later chapters.**

**With that said, I hope you enjoyed this installment and thoughts, critiques etc. are always appreciated. Just broke that 200 review barrier and I couldn't be more grateful for all the love you lovely lads and ladies give this story. Honestly didn't think I'd get this far, so the support means the world to me. I'll see you next week, and until happy life.**

**-Mc.**


	27. The Sake Of Others

_::You nearly came off balance again…::_

"Shut up I know! This isn't exactly easy for me!"

_::Just trying to help…you could be more grateful considering the severity of what you are attempting.::_

Hiccup took a long breath, which just barely managed to create a light fog as it exited his mouth and rose up towards the sky. He shifted his body weight and brought his legs back into a fighting stance, relaxing his muscles as they begged to be relieved from the nervous strain he placed upon them.

In his left hand he lowered a sword, barely in his possession for two days time. It had been presented as a gift of solidarity by the commander of the Moors when they had entered the camp that night. Hiccup was surprised at the relative peace and restraint demonstrated by the soldiers when beholding the black dragon that was in parts such as these merely the stuff of legend. Al-Wahdid did take immediate alarm at seeing that Hiccup was unarmed, and accepting that the boy's lanky figure would not serve a lance or axe well, they had settled on this shining blade with a polished handle of gold and ivory. Hiccup almost felt guilty at taking such an exquisitely designed weapon, knowing he was not of the ability to use it to the full extent of its construction. Still, that did not stop him from trying again and again, desperately swinging the blade in an effort to gain some proficiency with it.

"Alright…just one more time…"

Tonight was the night; they could not wait any longer. He had already been insufferable enough the past two nights as the necessary preparations were made to get the Moorish troops into position. They had been given a tent of their own with decent furnishings to spend their time as the plan was put into place, but it was not until the early morning of each day that Hiccup could get a few precious hours of rest. His mind was overcome with waking nightmares, visions of what was becoming of Astrid in his absence danced on the top of the tent. The moonlight shone through the linen and produced shadows from the tree branches, devils of abstraction twisted and convulsed before his eyes and led his mind down a dark road of fear and shame.

How could he have let it happen? There surely must have been something more he could have done, but every time he tried to envision her sacrifice in his mind all he could see of himself was weakness and cowardice. A powerless soul incapable of helping the only person who mattered to him. It was how it had always been, just one more demonstration of his inadequacy, a verification of his lacking strength, a mockery of his very manliness to fail in protecting that which made life so much more worthwhile. Even if he could free her, would she have already been defiled? He would want her regardless, even if a certain privilege was stolen from him. But would she want him? Was this the last straw? Would she want to see him again after he had failed in protecting her and allowing her to give her body to some stranger? Would he have any place left in her life at all?

"One more time…"

Such thoughts drove his rage and enticed him to raise the sword once again. He was still too weak to call himself a warrior, but he could at least handle this light, curved blade easily enough. The slim steel was ideal for slicing and carried enough force in its tip to cut some mutton with a rather low powered swing, so he knew if he could just make it that far he might have a chance in a fight. A few soldiers had shown him some rudimentary swings after taking pity on his martial failings, and he was determined to gain at least a little proficiency in them before the big event. He would have preferred it if said soldiers weren't staying close by and no doubt commenting on his failings in their language, but such trivial and usual mockery could not concern him right now. He made good posture as he had been shown, and with a deep breath raised the scimitar to the air. He swung low quickly before taking a quick step forward and inverting his grip on the handle, then swinging up before looping the blade in a wide arc and slicing horizontally as he took a final step forward. The steel whizzed through the air as he completed the maneuver before he lowered the sword to his side again, giving another pant that condensed and dissipated.

"Alright…there we go."

_::Decent enough, but if all goes well hopefully we shall not have to rely upon it.::_

The entire day had been overcast and threatened rain, the air heavy with cold, moist air that sucked the energy out of even the most exited of peoples. The camp had grown empty as several hundred soldiers had made their way towards the castle that lay beyond the crest of a number of hills. The Moors had camped on the opposite slope and a restriction on fires was put in place in order to conceal their position. Hiccup and Toothless had done their part and kept a look out for Spanish scouts or anyone else who might have given them away, and used the same technique as they had in capturing Al-Wahdid to apprehend two young men who had simply been wandering the countryside at different times, handing them over to the Moors to do with as they would. Hiccup didn't want to consider that they were dead, not wanting guilt over the slaughter of innocents to disrupt his already turbulent mind. Still, it was a possibility as Toothless was keen to remind him, but it was just part of what had become of his life now.

This was real, more real than he would have liked. Lives were on the line; not just his own, Toothless' and Astrid's, but of the many soldiers that were being compelled to help him. He almost felt guilty about using them to achieve this goal of his, but kept reminding himself that they wanted it too, a chance to do battle with their sworn enemies no matter the outcome. Their zeal was impressive and admirable; there was no question about that. Despite how much in other circumstances Hiccup would have wanted to try and understand where such animosity came from, he could not afford the luxury of education right now. He simply accepted their hatred for what it was, and hoped it would be manipulated properly and allow him the happiness he so desired.

His body felt as though it were going to collapse at any moment as the sun continued to set in the sky. He and Al-Wahdid had come to their plan the same night as when Hiccup had arrived thanks to Toothless' translation. As large a force as possible would be maneuvered along with ladders into the woods surrounding the castle around sunset. Then they would wait for the signal to attack once nightfall came and storm the walls as quickly as possible, free to loot as they wished once they breached the barrier. And after that it was just a desperate effort to find Astrid before anything could become of her, with the troops given a special order to round up but not harm any blonde girl they came across. Every gear in the machine was set; all it needed was the first jolt of energy to set it into motion. And said jolt of energy had a shaking wrist as he bent to grab the scabbard of the blade, sheathing the weapon and fastening it to his belt. He adjusted to the weight well enough, but the presence of a serious weapon on his person was still a reminder of the stress yet to come.

Battle. Without mercy or time to pause. The concept was an oddly foreign one to Hiccup; this was an aspect of the ever present specter of violence over the human race with which he was more unfamiliar than he should have been. On Berk, the enemy was usually dragons. The last real fight between the tribes had happened when he was only five, and the battle had taken place on the seas instead of on land. Even then, they were usually minor squabbles over territory, alliances, marriages, or a need for supplies that could not wait for a diplomatic solution.

Here though, war seemed to have taken a different turn, to have evolved into a new and totally different form than the one with which he was familiar. Any conflict back in his homeland was for the sake of survival, a gruesome necessity undertaken in order to preserve life. But those who surrounded him now, peoples of both light and dark skin who were united in the great scheme of war seemed to have something different in mind. It was not a matter of whether or not they would survive, but how they would live in their survival. A great collision of ideals was the defining characteristic of this land. It was not a conflict undertaken for the needs of the body, but of the mind that drove so many to kill, to carry on great hardship in the name of the qualities that made humans who they were. With food in their bellies and a home to call their own, men were free to kill in better, more idealistic ways. Without a physical threat to worry about, all were free to unleash their innate desire for blood in the name of a higher calling, to demonstrate their humanity in this most uniquely brutal manifestation. Hiccup wasn't sure to be impressed or scared of such people, fascinated in their desire to kill but terrified in the circumstances that brought it about. Were all peoples to be eventually tamed that they sought such a thing, so free from worry that they could no longer satiate their desire for violence in the name of physical demands, and strove to fulfill their wants in the name of the unseen? Toothless was likewise fascinated by it, this calling that along with love and hope truly defined what it was to be human.

_::The sun is setting. We were to expect a messenger were we not? I thought we were preferring to attack as soon as dusk fell, so that there would be a long night after in which whatever affairs needed to be settled could be done so. Do you think they have forgotten us?::_

Hiccup sighed as he walked over to his tent, intent of retrieving some water held within. "They wouldn't forget about us, we were the ones who recommended this whole idea in the first place. Why would they ever attack without our support? We're practically giving them a path in, why would they choose to make it harder on themselves?"

_::Well they do seem very intent on getting to this fight as soon as possible. It would be another expected irrationality as is endemic to your kind.::_

"Oh come on Toothless…we're all not _that_ stupid…"

_::Until I am shown otherwise I refuse to believe the opposite. Do not take this as an insult to you as a person, but so far the vast majority of humans I have observed which may or may not include yourself demonstrate a tendency towards odd and dangerous behavior that defies the more logical option. This fact remains regardless of how you feel about it.::_

Hiccup disappeared within the tent a moment and retrieved his skin of water, drinking a small dose and wiping away what little remained on his lips as he huffed and turned to Toothless, who waited with a neutral expression as the sun crept slowly towards the horizon. He did not show it, but Hiccup could tell that even this paragon of decorum and reservation was nervous about what was coming. He applauded his ability to hide emotions, but there were certain times when such a thing could become aggravating. The tense air that hangs over an area before battle was one of those times.

"Well Toothless, you're still helping to engage in one of those actions that defies logic and is dangerous, welcome to humanity."

_::…well played. I shall prefer to only visit your kind then, even if yours is somehow the one that now rules this planet. How my ancestors let it happen I cannot fathom, such is one of the mysteries lost to time.::_

"Sounds like that's more of your problem then. Let me know how it works out." Hiccup quipped as he walked towards a small patch of ground where Toothless had charred the surface with his fire in order to warm himself. The ground was dry and black, the scorched earth was going to be Hiccup's substitute to reenact a ritual he and Astrid had developed many months ago when performing actions such as these in a valley in France. It wouldn't be the same without her, but he knew it was a necessity at this point. He leaned over and scraped up some of the dirt and brought it back to a nearby table, clearing asides weapons and loaves of bread and taking a small bowl in his hand, depositing the earth inside.

_::Yet even if my kind has problems, that does not stop you from trying to imitate me it seems.::_

"You're just lucky that you were _made_ to blend into the night, for some of us it's not quite that easy."

_::Yes, and your lack of ability to disguise yourself in so common an occurrence is but further proof of the irrationality of your survival. What benefit does skin as pale as yours or of Astrid even serve? It does not blend in with the night nor disguise you during the day. It is not quite the color of snow and so fails in that regard as a defense as well. In my travels I have seen humans with black and brown skin, this seems so much more logical to have. Even some of the soldiers in this army sport such a practical type of flesh, so why do so many of you in the northern places instead wear skin so pale? This does not make sense.::_

"…Toothless?" Hiccup asked as he dropped a few small splashes of water into the dirt, mixing it with his finger and turning the ingredients into a rich, ebony mud.

_::Yes?::_

"The love of my life is being held captive in a fortress that we are about to attack, has possibly been forced to have sex with a man she does not know, and I'm currently smearing mud on my face as I prepare to aid an army I barely know in an effort to try and win her back. Do you think I give the _slightest_ damn about why I'm white right now?"

_::…Given your tone, I am going to say no.::_

"There we go, now that's what I call critical thinking there bud."

Toothless rolled his eyes and looked to the sky, keeping track of how the sun was now rapidly falling away. The band or pale orange that encircled the globe on winter nights like these was disappearing, leaving a brief sensation of teal around the rim of the world before it would be fully captured beneath the shroud of darkness. The first and brightest stars were beginning to show as the domain of night ensured its dominance for a good, long time. Hiccup took his freshly created pigment in his fingers and closed his eyes, slowly bringing the rough substance towards his cheeks, wincing a moment at the touch of the cold mixture against his skin.

"Týr…give me your strength. Ennoble me with the heart of a wolf, watch over me this day." He picked up some more of the pigment and continued to rub the mixture on his right cheek and moved down to his chin before sweeping up to color his left cheek. "Thor…grant me your bravery. Give this man your courage and watch over me as I enter battle, your glorious domain." He finally took the remainder of the residue in both his hands, held his breath and rubbed the entire concoction against his face, smearing every part of it and rubbing in the thick blend as deep as it would go. He held his hands over his closed eyes a moment, meditating on what was to come and trying to settle his heart with prayer. "Odin…if I am to die…send the valkyries to escort me to Valhalla. Guide my eyes this night and protect me if you so choose."

He pulled his eyes away and opened them slowly, noting how Toothless looked at him with a new found interest, no doubt intrigued in the boy's always fascinating appearance when wearing the improvised makeup of the nightly raid. Hiccup wiped the rest of the residue on his pants, not concerned with cleanliness at the moment. He took another deep sigh that ended in a slight shiver. The cold of a winter night in more southerly lands such as these was nowhere near as bad as it was in his homeland, but the chill of darkness was still strong enough to warrant discomfort as the boy's hands grew cold and the tip of his nose lost its warmth to a gentle breeze.

With saddle already attached Toothless walked over to the boy, having worked himself into a more reserved and focused state of mind again as his own breath turned into vapor in the waning light.

_::I have likewise invoked the strength of the Moon Goddess upon us both. She looks out for her scions as we are special to her, and she should likewise give her protection and grace upon you as well. As she has willed for one of her sons to be ridden by a human, it is only logical that such a human is kept safe.::_

"Thanks bud…we're going to need all the gods we can get at this point." Hiccup joked as he raised a hand to the dragon's head and scratched it lightly, calming his nerves at the familiar touch of reptilian skin.

_"It good! You go!"_ A call that danced on the ears with the exotic accent of a distinctly foreign tongue rose up from beyond the camp. Hiccup, Toothless, and what soldiers were around looked towards the distance where a single red horse galloped forward, the frantic beat of hoofs against the ground only just vibrating strongly enough to be barely felt in Hiccup's boots. _"It good! You go!"_ He called again, holding a hand up to his mouth to project himself as loudly as possible. The nearby soldiers looked to Hiccup with curiosity, knowing that they were about to see a rare treat of beholding a dragon in take-off.

_"It good! You go!"_ The messenger called one more time as he drew near, pulling hard on the reigns of his horse as he came up next to Hiccup and Toothless, the beast of burden neighing wildly in the presence of the alpha predator as the armored man upon its back looked to Hiccup with wild, expectant eyes. _"It good! You go!"_

Hiccup surmised that this was the only phrase the man knew in Norse, likely told so from his commander who needed just a few words to communicate on when it was time to strike. In hindsight Hiccup supposed he could have done more to make that easier, but he couldn't linger on such things for the moment. The time had come, and with a final exhale he steadied his nerves, throwing away fear and apprehensions and trying to place bravery and determination in the center of his mind, locking them down with chains and forbidding such qualities to leave him until he either succeeded or failed.

"Yes, I go." He gestured to himself as he made to mount Toothless, the dragon kneeling to allow the boy easy access. Hiccup leapt on top of the dragon's back, taking a moment to adjust his sword on his waist so that he could ride properly. It felt odd being armed while riding; he had never considered it a possibility for himself. It was a uniquely empowering moment, the sense of self confidence that being elevated, riding one the greatest creatures of nature whilst brandishing such an exquisitely made sword appealed to his most innate qualities of masculinity. Sentiments that were so often forced into submission by virtue of his weak body were given a rare opportunity to demonstrate themselves as he sat up straight and put on a confident expression. It felt natural, as though he were born to do this. In this one moment, fear vanished and was replaced by the determination of heroism that had been implanted on his mind since a young age. He was a hero of the sagas, making his own destiny this night.

"You ready bud?"

_::As much as you are.::_

"In that case you are, let's go then!" Hiccup was quick to extend the false wing; Toothless was equally fast to notice the cue and beat the larger set, ascending rapidly as the last rays of sun disappeared from the horizon. The soldiers below supported him with cheers of fascination and wonder at the soaring draconic form. Calls of _"Allahu Ackbar!" _were heard below them as they melded into the night sky, setting their course for the castle that lay beyond the hills where any number of possible events could play out. The many wheels of the machine had been placed into action; their first burst of energy now flew to set fate in motion.

In the air, as his vision adjusted to the growing darkness and his hands grew cold from the harsh winds of high altitude Hiccup leaned over to the Toothless' ear, his heart so awash in any number of sentiments that he had to let at least a few of them out to assist in his concentration.

"Toothless…whatever happens tonight…just know that I love you, alright?" Hiccup waited a long moment for a reply, not sure how the dragon would react to such emotions so blatantly stated. He almost regretted saying so, knowing it was not the best time for emotions in the build up to such a frenzy.

_::I know.::_ The din of contact between them that forever hummed in the back of Hiccup's head grew soft and warm, so close to the first time he had experienced that sensation when making contact with the creature. The wind was the only audience between them as the calm, welcoming feeling of the connection between both uttered forth a few words in a calm, neutral voice. _::And I hope you know that I feel likewise. Perhaps I cannot say it best due to how I conduct myself, but think not that my outward expression likewise demonstrates my more inner thoughts.::_

Hiccup gave a low, confident chuckle as he sat up straight again, letting the wind attempt to beat him down in vain, the cold air was parting over both man and beast soared forward into the night. "I know, guess I'll just have to get Astrid back to hear someone say what I want to hear."

_::As good an excuse for suicidal attacks as any I suppose.::_

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

Even if she hadn't wanted it, Astrid had to admit that wedding had gone over rather nicely.

Her long red robe with pink silk belt had been cleaned the day before and was presented to her the morning of smelling overly saturated in some manner of perfume. For the entire day prior neither she nor Sir Felix were allowed to see one another per the ritual of the land, not that she was complaining. This morning had involved nothing but preparation as servants had helped Astrid prepare herself, doing up her hair to the best they could, washing and combing it until every strand lay elegantly independent of the other, free from oil and grime and shining like a polished coin. It seemed to be for little though, as a veil of pink silk similar to her belt was soon lain over her head, doing nothing to obstruct her vision but an annoying inconvenience that was but one more way of showing her diminished place at the moment. Another way to remove her identity, to make her a prize to be taken. She'd worn it most of the day, and found that while it did help to keep her head a little warmer in the cold weather, she would rather have it burned than ever wear it again

Within the confines of the castle was a small building that was set aside for a more benign purpose than the martial construction of the remainder of the complex. Uniquely made out of a grey and smoother stone compared to the rest of the fortress, it was smaller than the walls but seemed to hold more respect than even the most powerful of fortifications. It reminded her of the church back in Ireland, even featuring many of the painted windows that always fascinated her. But she sadly could not linger on the beautiful architecture or delightfully designed windows for long as the ceremony got underway. Hidalgo escorted her down the aisle, himself done up in polished armor and sword at his side, a long yellow cloak covering his sides and making him stand out as his own person among the great excitement of the occasion. He explained to her that in the absence of her father, he had been nominated to act as the man's surrogate in bestowing such as a prize as herself upon Sir Felix and his household. Astrid was sure her father would laugh if he ever heard of this ordeal, before breaking into a rage and knocking her husband's teeth down his throat.

Hidalgo had stood off to the side as Astrid took her place at the front of the chapel, meeting Sir Felix with a fake smile and a request for him to have his manhood devoured by dogs whispered in a charming, inconspicuous tone. A man who wore robes that reminded Astrid of better days in the company of Father Liam stood between them, making signs of the cross and going on long speeches in both the native language as well as a few phrases in the tongue's older, nobler ancestor that still seemed to cling to life among certain people of certain professions.

The ring on her finger now had been applied towards the end of the ceremony, shortly before her veil had been lifted and she had been forced to kiss Sir Felix upon his dry, chapped lips. She'd managed to get in a small bite at the lower one as she pulled away, but was disappointed that she had failed to draw blood and only brought forth an irritated expression from the man. This had been as the sun was just starting to set and the world had fallen into a state of golden light, the air itself reflecting the orange light that joyously signaled the coming night.

Now night had fallen, the world had grown cold and still, torches and lanterns were the only source of light as darkness encroached upon all life. A few of these controlled fires lined the hallway in which Astrid now stood, giving a dim glow that cast long shadows upon the stone of this part of the upper keep. Large arches lined the exterior wall that let in some of the moonlight, casting triangular shadows upon the opposite wall. A single large door of well-worn wood was kept closed for the moment, and with sweating palms and a frantic mind, Astrid glumly waited for the portal to open. She kept looking to the stars, trying to find some silhouette that passed over the still lanterns in the sky and indicated that her rescue was near. Every waking moment of the past few days had been spent hoping, but hope had amounted to nothing now. No salvation, no redemption from what was to happen to her. No escape from what was to become of her, the once mighty Astrid Hofferson forced into a marriage she did not want all in the name of a boy that couldn't even _attempt _to save her.

"Odd…I wonder what is taking him…"

Hidalgo muttered, the servant of God leaning up against one of the arches. His yellow cloak shone well in the strong light of the moon, the scabbard of his sword parallel to his body. He was visibly growing weary of a long day sporting his chainmail as the weight of the armor bore down upon his body, but accepted his own punishment with a calm, neutral demeanor. As much as Astrid liked him, his emotionless tone and lack of concern was beginning to irk her as time dragged on in every instance of its passing.

"Probably just savoring the weight, making me suffer that's what." She grumbled back to him, taking a moment to shiver as the cold began to bite through her garment that was not well suited for prolonged exposure to the elements in this weather. How anyone could wear something like this regularly she could not fathom.

"Oh yes… likely taking time to focus himself, praying for good luck. Maybe dousing himself in perfume? Or committing a sin of the person so he can last longer with you? All are possibilities…" He was almost chuckling to himself, disregarding the tense atmosphere and instead embracing the sensation of humor that was still strong in him. Astrid understandably did not take well to making light of her situation.

"Yeah? Well you can go do what he's going to do to me to yourself…asshole…" She snarled at him, stuffing her hands under her arm pits in an effort to keep warm. Her anger only grew as Hidalgo now finally admitted his giddy mood and started actually laughing. Was he really daring to make light of her situation, this man who could never even truly engage in such an action making an effort to laugh at it?

"What's so funny? You think it's funny that I'm basically getting raped here?"

Hidalgo lifted his head and peered out of the corner of his eyes to the moon, pausing a moment as his laughter died down to settle himself. He took his right arm out from beneath his cloak and rubbed his head, easing his eyes as he slowly turned to look at Astrid with full concern.

"Alright…alright I've had my fun. Lord forgive me for my lies but sin does give a worthy pleasure sometimes after all…" He shook his head as does one who can only find the slightest amount of guilt in his actions, taking more delight in the confusion he causes than in spreading any more noble truth. Astrid only stared at her bewildered translator with disbelief, failing to notice what exactly he was talking about.

"F-fun? What do you mean fun?"

"Oh…" Hidalgo rolled his eyes before starting, now determined to clear his image than let his actions be further misconstrued as insulting. "Trust me Astrid; you have little to fear from Sir Felix. This is not exactly his first time taking a wife…and for good reason."

The statement quickly grabbed Astrid's interest, suddenly changing her many thoughts about both her husband and translator as the information was revealed. "What-what do you mean? Have you been lying to me?"

"Ha! Not so much lying, but I must confess I have withheld some information for the sake of my own enjoyment. Believe me that doing so is not in the effort to hurt you, as such a thing is impossible. Perhaps it is wrong of me and confession is in order, but I have enjoyed my deception for now."

Astrid stared Hidalgo down with grim irritation, none too happy with the prospect of her emotions having been toyed with these last few days, dreading some action that apparently would have less of an impact as she had been led on to believe. Hidalgo could see the frustration writ upon her face, and with a wave of his hand went to explain himself.

"You see…this is not Sir Felix's first marriage. It would be about…five years ago now I want to say that he came of proper age and was betrothed to rather nice princess from Aragorn. They kept up the charade of that for a good year, but by Christmas there was no sign of pregnancy and it was evident that the two were not compatible with one another. She was quietly sent away to a convent in her native land, although there are rumors that her father took some knights and freed her from that place upon her return."

"Oh…alright but that still means I-"

"Not quite young one…" Hidalgo raised a finger to stop her, indicating there was more to his story than Astrid had thought. "It was a year after that Sir Felix led our troops on an expedition to drive back a Moorish raid to the south. He took the fancy of a young girl form a village they had saved, and so they were wed upon his return. She likewise did not last long, and she was allowed to return to her village with a knightly escort after but two months. A shame too, she was such a nice girl, did some wonderful embroidery work while she was here…"

Hidalgo took a moment to sigh in bittersweet remembrance to another girl that he probably took a fancy to but did not have the means to properly serve. "And then earlier last year he was wed again to another princess from Navarre. Hahahaha….oh that-that one did not last a week. She stormed out one night and hasn't been seen since. All for the best I believe though, she had a rather poor set of teeth on her…" Hidalgo couldn't help but laugh at remembering what Astrid could only guess to have been a distressing sight for any man to behold. Still, she needed better answers than anecdotes, and pressed for more information.

"So…he's just a jerk to live with then? How does that help me?"

Hidalgo shook his head in amusement, and demonstrated with his eyes that he delighted in speaking about such matters. "Ah…no you misunderstand me Astrid. It is not necessarily his person that drives women away, but his body. Only he himself knows for sure and he wishes not to speak on such matters with anyone, but there is something about his masculinity that deprives him the ability to be very intimate with women at all. His father thinks it is a failing of his humors, his mother fears he has been seduced by sinful desires. Whatever the cause, Sir Felix is not a man whom you should _immediately_ fear in matters of the bedroom."

A massive weight began to lift from Astrid's shoulders; she unfolded her arms and let the cool night air tingle her fingers again. She wanted to smile, but knew enough not celebrate just yet, intrigued as to why she had been dragged into this situation in the first place. "Wait…so if Sir Felix can't be with a woman, why did he want to marry me in the first place?"

"Mmh…a decent question. If it is anything like last time he is still trying to prove himself a man to his father, and likewise desiring to create an heir for his lineage. Perhaps he is but trying in vain, or maybe he does finally see in you someone who can compel him to the proper way of life. I doubt this latter prospect, but there is always the possibility."

"Yeah…." Astrid lamented, considering the scenario in which hers was the beauty to awaken the dormant masculinity of her captor a sadly ironic one, even if what it said about her appearance was flattering."But…but what if he is? What does…what's going to happen to me?"

Hidalgo took a moment to mull on the question as his arms retreated back beneath the embrace of his cloak. "Well…with any luck you shall be greeted by his impotency. Otherwise…you may simply have to grin and bear it." Hidalgo shrugged at the latter prospect, perhaps too confident in Felix's failings or just apathetic to what would come regardless. After all he had no role to play in such business, why should he care what people did?

Astrid's eyes inflamed at the statement as the thoughts of such a grim possibility once more manifested themselves in the front of her mind. She took a long breath of the cool night air that chilled her lungs but failed to ease her nerves. This sudden variable was only adding more stress to the situation, the possibility of safety when put alongside the possibility of unwelcome union made the question of what lay beyond that door all the more tormenting. Would her fortune be good or bad? How far could he go? Should she try to make herself look less pretty? Questions came to her mind more quickly than she could make answers for them.

"Really? Just "grin and bear it"? That's all you've got for me?"

Hidalgo seemed to take offense at the sudden attack upon his character, one made out to be lazy and passive in the face of an innocent girl being coerced into things she did not want. His face tightened and brow narrowed as he looked her over, none too happy at being accused of being an accomplice to sin. "Well what do you want me to say or do then? Claim you as my own? I doubt Father Rodrigo would enjoy having to do another ceremony at this hour-"

"Bullshit! You know exactly what I mean…" Astrid started forward with a finger pointed at the knight who leant back against the arched window, beams of moonlight reflecting off his yellow cloak and the silver broaches he used to keep it in place. "All you do is talk about your honor and your determination to "defend the righteous" and yet you just stand here while I'm being forced to marry and have sex with someone I don't even know of like! Even-even if we don't have sex I'm still stuck here aren't I?! Hiccup isn't coming and at this point I doubt he ever will!" She was seething with anger, a lethal toxin of bile fed by the venoms of many different causes for rage. Everything was coming together to feed her hatred for life at this moment, eager to strike out at existence for the way it had treated her these past several days. "I like you! And all you do is just stand there when you know I'm in agony here! Is that who you really are? You so called soldier of God?"

She spat the name of the deity forward and with it projected the pinnacle of her rage, expelling enough of her angst to calm down a moment. As reason began to take over her dark emotions once more, she saw Hidalgo's face loosen, his visage fading into a plain, indistinguishable expression. He displayed neither hurt nor anger, merely a blank acceptance of her tirade that his mind was slowly processing as it plunged his sense of morals into discord. He tried to lift his arm again to command the attention to speak, but it quickly disappeared beneath his cloak again.

"I…I am not saying I approve of what might happen to you…I merely-there is simply nothing I can do. Yes I serve God but-but men also have their mortal masters to deal with you know…" His tone was not clearly defined, emblematic of those caught in a conscious discord when statement and belief collided and formed chaos in the mind. The cogs of the brain were sputtering, conflicted between answering to his superiors and He who was the true superior. "I-"

_"__¡Hidalgo! ¡Estoy listo! ¡Que entre mi esposa por favor! ¡Ha llegado el momento de celebrar nuestra unión!"_

Sir Felix's voice rose from the chamber, just strong enough to pass beyond the stone walls and wooden door. Both Astrid and Hidalgo turned to hear the words and lowered their heads. While Astrid did not understand what he had said, she knew enough from context that it was not going to be for her benefit. Hidalgo stood up straight and let his cloak cover his entire form, stepping forward towards the door as he tried in vain to hold onto what fragments of his dignity remained.

_"__Sí, señor Félix. Ahora mismo os la traigo."_ Hidalgo spoke in the language of the land as he opened the door, the light of dozens of candles inside the chamber giving an orange glow to the stone of the hallway. Astrid looked to Hidalgo with a pleading expression, trying to redeem herself after what she had said but finding she could get no reaction out of the embattled man torn between duty and conscious. Instead, he simply stretched an arm to point into the chamber, too distracted by his own inner contemplations to be bothered in paying attention to the girl that had put him in such a conflict of the soul to begin with.

Astrid took a long sigh as she desperately tried to find some excuse not to step forward, but found that her feet took small steps forward regardless of what her mind thought of the matter. Fate propelled each muscular contraction and release of her legs as she stepped around Hidalgo and peered into the room, terrified of what would come but knowing that no other option now existed. It was demoralizing, to be stripped of all other possibilities and being forced to harm her very life. Granted throwing herself off the walls to her death _was_ a possibility, but as much as she tried to muster the courage to do so, her hope was too strong to allow her to succumb to such desperation.

_"Buenas noches, amor mío ¿Estás lista?"_ Sir Felix had put on his most sweet, falsely innocent voice as Astrid entered the chamber. Hidalgo shut the door behind her and left both alone to each other. She suddenly felt vulnerable, now truly abandoned in this place of pleasure and suffering. The chamber itself was clearly one of belonging to Sir Felix's breed of men, where tapestries were few and the walls were instead lined with weapons, armor, and expensive furs. He wore his masculinity on the outside instead of tempering it in his heart, preferring to show others he was a man instead of proving such a thing to himself. He sat on the side of his bed, wearing only a white nightshirt that draped over his knees as he stood up to greet her. He extended his arms in a greeting as he walked forward, a form that intimidated in its softness more than it did when wearing the many accoutrements of war.

Astrid felt her sense of willpower slipping away, not quite gone but struggling to assert itself in the face of such raw masculinity, regardless of what she knew about his manhood. He had done his best to make this a place of comfort for the both of them, including preparing himself for the precious action he hoped for, reeking of a dense and exotic perfume that did its best to cover up the smell of animal fat candles that burned around them. She felt there was little she could do, nothing that could win her freedom now in the small confines of this room. Was this it? Was there hope in the failings of Felix's body? She was feeling some manner of firmament down there, and it made her nervous. Could she fight back? Would he force himself on her regardless? Was she strong enough to fight him off?

_"__Será algo hermoso, preciosa mía. __Me haceis sentir excitado ¿Lo sabíais? __Verdaderamente teneís habilidades mágicas."_

She could not understand whatever flatteries he muttered in her ear as he pulled away for a moment, and was rendered still with disgust as he closed in and kissed her again on the lips. Still intent to hold on to her dignity even if it killed her, Felix met a pair of canines biting fiercely into his lip. He pulled back with a small wince of agony and felt the tender flesh, finding a small streak of blood came from the pink skin. Eager not to absorb a drop of his wretched body, Astrid spat on the ground, begging Felix to dare that attempt again. Instead, to her surprise he fought back anger and hostility, rubbing his groin from beyond the barrier of his shirt in an effort to stay firm. Astrid could only surmise that this was so important to him that he was willing to do anything to ensure it happened, even accepting insults to his person.

He took a step towards her again, not closing in his face but quickly moving his fingers to her waist. He moved his fingers towards the silk belt, but found she slapped it away. Irritated, he approached again only to have Astrid slap him away just the same. She wasn't going to let him near that area so easily. This confidence however began to erode as Felix took another step closer, well within her personal space and looking down upon her from his superior height. His silence served him better than words, his temporarily stoic expression intimidated as it reflected his true physical stature, one Astrid knew it would be hard to compete with. One last time he negotiated his hand to her waist and pulled at the knot of the silk, undoing the light hold the fabric held on her and letting the foreign luxury fall to the floor. Whatever tightness it held upon her dress was undone, and the loose fabric lost whatever little fit it had to begin with. She feared this might be it, the gradual undoing of what little protection she had before she would be lain bare, exposed in that most vulnerable way that only Hiccup was permitted to see her as. She hoped the boy had liked it when he had the chance, because after this she doubted if she ever would or could give the boy the luxury again.

_"__Oh... Sois tan hermosa. Debeis serlo incluso más bajo estos ropajes."_

Taking a step back and relaxing his face so as to appear romantic again, Felix looked her up and down with approval, grinning with satisfaction in both her and himself. Astrid could see a bulge pressing forward from his waistline, resembling a spear as it pressed forward with confidence and approval. The smile of Felix's face seemed more out of pride with himself than with Astrid. He seemed happier that the offering was acceptable to his body than with the actual offering itself. Astrid wasn't sure if she should be insulted by this, or if it was even an insult at all. Eager to get things over with while the opportunity was upon him, Sir Felix was quick to remove his shirt and present his body and all it represented. Muscular, bigger in all facets of his physiology and with minimal body hair across most of his body except the newly awakened organ that was taking its final, solid form. Astrid only scowled at this so common interpretation of masculinity, so unlike the one she had fallen in love with. Her facial display did nothing to discourage Felix, who only smiled with appreciation for himself.

_"__Ahora... Permitirnos ver la belleza que me espera..."_

Felix walked forward with an awkward step due to his body's changed state of occupation as the most ancient and intimate act of the human species grew near. Astrid winced and felt her heart beating faster and faster as each instant stretched on forever, every inhale filled with dread and loathing but each exhale carrying nothing but paralyzing fear. She felt captive by her own body, a mere puppet held by the strings of the cruel functions of biology. There was no urge to run, she could only feel herself digging in to fight for the sake of it, willing to endure horrible injury if it meant preserving the gift she could only give to one. She had to focus, had to ignore seduction and fear and find a way to fight back, to muster her courage to maybe face death in the name of honor. She tried to block everything out, tried to leave her body and ignore whatever stimuli would come her way as she thought.

One noise however could not be ignored. A powerful, high pitched shriek that was quickly growing louder. Both humans turned to the door, beyond which the piercing shrill grew louder with every passing moment. It became louder until it culminated in a nearly deafening scream that harkened back to the brutality of primeval times before the shouting of a single man foretold of the coming destruction.

_"__¡Furia Nocturna! ¡Agachaos!"_

A powerful explosion shortly after reverberated through the walls, striking from somewhere beyond but having no less of an effect. It was only a moment after that a loud clamor of human voices was heard emerging in a ferocious war cry, rapidly drawing closer with each moment.

_"__¡Sarracenos! ¡En las murallas! ¡Nos atacan!"_

Another shout rose from beyond the door, quickly joined by many others as the night became alive with activity. Astrid began to put things together quickly as Felix stared blankly at the door, likely cursing his luck that now of all times had to be marred by man's love of battle. Her heart began to race again, no longer out of fear but alive with hope. The clamor of what could only be hundreds-perhaps a thousand or more-men united in the call of battle was fascinating enough, but even more relieving was the cue that had set it all in motion. Toothless' shriek no longer instilled fear in her, but instead broke the trance of terror that she fallen into at the sight of Felix's naked body. Confidence surged and sense of self returned as she beckoned the awestruck Felix to look at her one more time.

"Guess Hiccup's coming after all…" She knew he could not understand her outside of Hiccup's name, and spoke in a seductive voice as she laid a hand on his chest and slid it down to his groin, faking interest as furious blood surged in her fingers. "Better luck next time." She snarled these words while she quickly grabbed as much of the black hair around his sex as possible and pulled with all her might, pulling a decent sized clump out as Felix bent over with an anguished yell. Astrid threw the hair down and turned to reach for the door, but found her ankle caught by the knight, in pain but not out of commission as he struggled to pull at her.

_"__¡Zorra!"_ He yelled as he yanked at her leg, his great force pulling her off balance and sending her to the ground. He pounced forward to get on top of her, but with a reborn determination to remain her own person Astrid fought back, giving him an elbow across the face. Still, it was not enough to dissuade him, and Felix pushed a hand on her face to distract her. She likewise used both her hands and pushed on his neck. They both continued in this futile wrestle for a moment before the door behind them opened. Though Astrid did not see the figure at first, a tall, masculine presence lifted Felix off of her and sent him reeling back towards his bed with a loud punch to the face. Astrid quickly lifted herself up to find Hidalgo standing next to her, drawing his sword and pointing it to Felix.

"Hi-Hidalgo?"

_"__¡Hidalgo! ¿Qué hacéis? __¡No tenéis cabida en esto!"_

Hidalgo stood resolute, quiet a moment as his cloak gave his body a bigger stature than it already had. His sword gleamed with the light of the many candles in the chamber, the long and heavy blade held forward without any visible strain upon the man's body.

"Astrid…" He started, beckoning her attention which she was quick to give despite the intensity of the situation. "Haha…it is funny how sometimes we need those outside the fold to reveal to the rest of us what truth really is. Perhaps indeed I am not nor have been the most upstanding man that I could have been, but may God judge me favorably upon my death as I redeem myself."

There was a newfound zeal to Hidalgo's voice, a passion that had been awakened and was now happy to be acted upon in the name of righteousness. "It would appear that our lover is here, and has apparently brought help as well. It would be unholy of me to deny you this chance to be with who you desire, even if it is aided by less than reputable people…" Hidalgo listened to the calls that and screams that were filling up the castle courtyards, where the frantic calls of _"Santiago!"_ and _"Allahu Ackbar!"_ were exchanged as regularly as sword blows. As he paused to reflect, Sir Felix scrambled over his bed and grabbed one of his own swords of the wall, intending to do battle in his naked form as he raised the blade and held back, staring down his challenger who still held him at a distance with the reach of his own weapon.

"I may not know love Astrid...but that will not stop me from impeding two true lovers from being together when God so clearly desires it. May He grant both of you his blessing as I do the same."

Astrid could only stare at Hidalgo with an incredulous appreciation, truly moved by his words as he acted as her protector, refusing to move or waver even as Felix shook his hair and worked himself up into a battle frenzy, eager for this interloper to make the first move. "Hidalgo…I-thank-"

"Go. You do not have much time."

"But you-"

"God will provide me my fate, whatever it is. You have your own to make, now go." Hidalgo did not shake his eyes from Sir Felix, not intending to let him get the upper hand in the duel. Forcing herself to stop admiring her protector and instead realizing that she had to act quickly, she moved out of the room with haste, whispering thanks and praying for the man's safety as she kicked off her uncomfortable shoes and ran down the hallway as the first clangs of steel reverberated from Felix's chamber.

The cold stone of the floor ached her feet but she could not linger on such facts for long. Beyond the arched windows she could see torches being furiously waved in the courtyard below where great multitudes of men did battle in groups of two or three. From what she could see through the darkness, many of the Spanish had been caught off guard and were fighting with little armor, one even naked. By contrast there were many men who were well prepared for war who easily outnumbered the defenders. She was scared about going down into that melee, but at the same time it was the only way she was likely to get Hiccup's attention. The shriek of Toothless coming in for another strike pierced the sky for a moment before a brilliant violet flash sent two men on a rampart over the wall in the subsequent explosion.

She mustered her courage and went for the stairs she had used to get to this level of the castle earlier. She was quick to maneuver herself through the narrow passageway that spiraled down the tower that formed one of the towers of the keep, grabbing one of the torches at the bottom as she ran out into the fray. The cold air of the night was charged with the excitement of battle, tranquil silence had given way to the roar of hundreds of bodies caught up in the addictive drug of personal combat. She stayed back for a moment but waved her torch in the air frantically, trying to quietly get Hiccup's attention while not drawing too much attention to herself.

_"Santiago!"_

The battle dragged on before her, a massive struggle that the Spanish were quickly loosing as more and more of the these strangers that attacked stormed over the walls. Astrid thought she saw Lord Fernando somewhere in the chaos, desperately fighting for his life along with the rest of the castle's inhabitants and defenders. The high shrill of Toothless above quickly came towards the ground again, striking from out of the clear sky and giving the impression that a star was falling. The violet explosion lit up a patch of ground shortly in front of Astrid where a few Spaniards had managed to gang up on and defeat a group of attackers.

"Hiccup!" Astrid yelled into the air as the specter of the dragon pulled back into the air. Fed up with waiting, Astrid rushed forward and threw down her torch, grabbing a sword from a fallen Spaniard and looking around herself to be sure she wouldn't be caught in an attack. "Hiccup!" She yelled again, begging the dark sky to materialize her savior one more time and praying that Freya would carry her voice to her lover beyond the chaotic din of battle around her.

From behind her came a Spaniard wielding an axe, charging wildly into the fray with no discernible target. Fearing for her safety Astrid raised her sword and made to strike, but found that the threat was done away with when a small flash of purple struck the oncoming attacker in the chest and sent him flying back in a flash of light. A light gust of wind made Astrid turn her head a moment before she looked to see an aberration of black sticking out against the night by virtue of the nearby torches and the light of the moon. Upon the king of darkness a boy hopped off, a curved sword in his hand as he leaped over towards her.

"Astrid!" His voice was more rewarding than any treasure of gold to her ears at that moment. She likewise started towards the boy, overjoyed that rescue was so close. But in her joys, she did not see another figure appearing out of the black before it was too late. She stopped as a man in chainmail came up from behind Hiccup with a large sword gripped between his hands.

"Hiccup! Behind you!" She yelled to him as she started running, hoping she could cut off the man in time. Hiccup turned, and moved just fast enough to avoid the downward swing of the blade that missed his shoulder. He lunged forward with a stab at the legs, misusing the strengths of the manner of the blade he carried, but doing enough to distract the man long enough before Astrid could run him through with her own sword. The man fell back with the sword, but as his body rid itself of the blade, two more assailants came out of the black with swords themselves. They shouted at the top of their lungs as they ran in an erratic serpentine towards the both of them.

"Get back!" Hiccup yelled as he leaped forward, surprising Astrid with his audacity but making her worried at his erratic actions. A blast from Toothless came out of the shadows and struck down one of the attackers down, but Hiccup still charged forward, desperate to prove something that Astrid did not need to see verified right now. The Spaniard swung his blade but missed Hiccup by virtue of a difference in height. The boy struck back with a series of quick swipes at random angles, but not one managed to land on his opponent. Astrid began to rush forward again with her sword raised, eager to help. She was however too slow and unable to intervene when the Spaniard lowered his sword and sliced upwards, cutting right across Hiccup's abdomen and his chest in a diagonal blow.

"No!"

_::Hiccup!::_ Time seemed to pause a moment in order to mourn before carrying on. In that instant Hiccup's body stood upright before his sword slipped away from his hand the boy's body collapsed backwards. His silence lasted only so long as he remained in the air, and as soon as he hit the ground was when his brain finally realized his injury, and he began to scream in deep, animalistic agony.

_::Insolence!::_ Was the only thing Astrid could hear Toothless say before another flash of violet streaked forward and collided with the man who had struck Hiccup down. Forgoing her own protection Astrid threw down her own sword and rushed over to Hiccup, trying to hold back tears and emotion as she surveyed the injury. He was desperately gripping at the wound, a deep slice that started at his lower right abdomen and cut cleanly in a slant up to his left shoulder.

"Oh gods-oh gods Astr-Astrid I-oh gods it hurts!" Was all he could manage to say coherently, the rest of what came out of his mouth nothing more than loud, agonized screams that trumped anything a pained infant could ever screech. His body could focus on nothing but pain in that moment, a severe misery that threatened not only to ail him but to likewise end his life. Blood seeped out from everywhere it could; Hiccup's arms could do little to clench the wound close. Astrid likewise tried to stop the bleeding with her hands, but found the pressure did nothing. She could feel the blood of her lover seeping over her fingers, a disgusting and distressing feeling as the warm liquid cooled in the night air. The red source of life dripped out of the bottom of the wound in a steady stream that pulsed a little more of the fluid out with each frantic beat of his heart. Astrid's fingers rapidly grew overly slick with the fluid, and she could not hold onto the wound for much longer.

"Toothless!" She screamed, and the dragon was by her side only a moment later, lowering himself to Hiccup's side with shock in his eyes and disbelief in his tone as Astrid once more felt that warm, welcoming connection of the dragon's mind enter her own consciousness.

_::Hiccup! Is he alright? Is that…that is blood yes? Oh Moon Goddess curse thee he is bleeding!::_ Toothless' tone had burst out of its restrictive shell of decorum and sophistication into one of outright panic and fear. While Hiccup was her most pressing concern, Astrid was still interested in this sudden outburst of genuine emotion from the beast. She supposed it took something as traumatic as this to finally get a reaction out of him.

"Ahhh! Oh gods! Freya-Freya! Oh gods it hurts!" Hiccup's blood continued to pulse out of him as his scream reached towards the stars that showed nothing but apathy towards the pains of so many men below them. Astrid tried to keep the wound close and put as much pressure on it as she could, but the gash was too wide and her hands too small to be of much use in stopping the hemorrhage.

"Hiccup…" She tried to remain calm, but feel of his once hot blood cooling around her fingers was too distressing. Her vision became blurred with tears as she feared the worst. Hiccup's screams were growing slower each time, his voice horse after so much shouting as prayers to the gods.

_::Oh….oh my…this will be drastic but it is our only hope. Astrid, stand back.::_ Astrid did as she was told even if she didn't want to lose her touch on him, and Toothless moved his head over the boy that looked to the dragon pleadingly as the pain refused to abate.

_::This is what is drastic, but it is out best option to stop the bleeding.::_ Following the statement Toothless opened his maw, the back of his throat glowing with violet as he closed towards Hiccup. The din of battle around them continued as steel clashed with steel and body combated body in the desperate dance of combat. Toothless lowered himself to Hiccup's wound, his nostrils wincing at the scent of Hiccup's blood but not enough to cause the dragon to back away. _::I hope this works Hiccup, for both of us. It will also hurt greatly, I am sorry but there is no other way. I am sorry.::_

Upon these words Toothless expelled his high heat across the wound, nothing hot enough to kill but enough to burn, and with such a burning there was a great deal of screaming and wailing from Hiccup that devolved into frantic screaming along the lines of "Toothless! No! Gods it hurts! Freya it burns! Help me!" in no particular order. Astrid bounded forward and negotiated herself around Toothless' head, pinning Hiccup down as the intense heat cauterized the wound. Astrid could feel the intense blaze herself, and knew that if just being close to it was so stressful, she could not imagine what Hiccup was going through. He gradually grew silent as the amethyst blaze reached his shoulder and the opposite end of the wound. The entire wound appeared black and not the healthiest looking, but at least the bleeding had stopped. Astrid quickly reached for his wrist to make sure his silence was not permanent, and found a faint but steady beat still pulsing through his veins.

She sighed with relief as she looked to his closed eyes that spoke to the relief he was feeling in his head, now unconscious and free from the agonies of the flesh. "Alright, let's-"

She was cut off as another war cry came from behind her, and a Spaniard materialized out of the darkness. Both girl and dragon turned their heads to find the man approaching them quickly with a spear in his hands, ready to thrust forward. Before either could mobilize themselves to combat the oncoming threat, the man lunged into the darkness and caught the back of Astrid's right leg with the point of his weapon.

"Son of a bitch!" She screamed in the short instant where the steel was within her. A pulse of purple from the back of Toothless' throat sent the brave man reeling backwards in his own pain. Working through the pain Astrid pulled the blade out, but found this only exacerbated her own suffering. She growled in bitter agony at the pain that was for now was only localized, but was growing more pronounced with each beat of her heart that now pumped her own blood out of the wound in a slow, tormenting drain.

"Damnit…Toothless we've got to get out of here!"

_::You are-::_

"You're damn right I'm hurt but I can manage! Let's just get Hiccup out of here!"

_::Fair point. Now, lay him across my back. There is a camp not far from here where I can explain what is going on and you can both receive better attention.::_ Toothless lowered himself as low as he could as Astrid sat Hiccup upon on the saddle before mounting the dragon herself, dragging her right leg behind her as it refused to move due to its injury. She pulled herself into the saddle using all the strength left in her that was not already being sapped by her flesh wound, sitting in front of him and sliding his arms over her shoulders. Slipping her left foot into the pedal switch, she winced again at the cold of the metal against her skin, just one more agony that was trying to dissuade her from decisive action. She shook her head at every agony that shook her body; it would just have to be dealt with in the name of saving the one she loved. The one who had come back for her, the one that was on the verge of dying now because of his desire to protect her. It was a rather-

_::Do you have the pedal ready? We have to go!::_

"Yeah yeah we're good, get flying already!"

Astrid brought the tailing into proper position and Toothless bounded into the sky as soon as he could feel such a thing. Astrid shuddered at the severe pain that was emanating from her right leg and radiating throughout her body. Hiccup's body threatened to fall of the dragon a moment before Astrid changed the false wing and evened them out to cruise at a fairly low altitude. They were both already injured; dealing with any lack of oxygen was not preferable right now. She began to shudder as she felt a powerful hemorrhage of blood pour out of her wound. She couldn't bleed out, she refused. Even if it killed her, she would not die.

_::Are you alright Astrid?::_ Toothless asked, his warm and comforting voice washing over Astrid's brain as the sweet reverberations of a collected mind. She could feel the warmth of her own blood dripping down her leg as it steadily pumped out of her wound and dripped towards her ankle. The blood cooled in the night air, her brain felt warm as Toothless repeated his question. Her body began to relax as her head itself felt dizzy, the chaos of what had just happened fading away from her thoughts as they left the castle behind them. Her agony began to grow numb as the exterior world itself began to dissipate in her vision, her eyes growing distorted and having difficulty distinguishing the stars from one another. It was towards this canopy of light they flew, lights that began to dim as Astrid fell away from consciousness and found her own darkness within.

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

**Hello Peoples!**

**After lots of frantic writing as is usual here we are, update on time. Had a blast writing it and hope you likewise had one reading it. Sorry to leave you on a cliffhanger, but I can't help myself at times. What shall become of our trio? What lies ahead for our injured heroes? You'll have to be here next week to find out.**

**Much thanks as always to the wonderful "Writer for the Tylwyth Teg" for her always exceptional beta work on this chapter that has made it ever better than it already was. Likewise thanks goes to "ItsasUmbrella" for her work in translating the necessary Spanish.**

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter and if so feel free to tell me so, or if you hated it and thought it was the worst thing in the world I want to know so I can improve my writing. Hope you're still hooked for more because there will be plenty coming in the next installment. I'll see you next week, and until then happy life to you.**

**-Mc.**


	28. Limbo

There was a sharp flash of light as the blank, visionless shroud of darkness that surrounded Hiccup lifted for a moment before the boy was plunged back into the black. He now knew himself to be submerged beneath the waves of sleep, and became determined to slip the bonds of unconsciousness and return to the world of life that he was so enthusiastic about seeing again. Thoughts rapidly came to this mind as he slowly blinked his eyes open several more times, tearing away the veil of black and swimming to the surface of self awareness.

He began to feel his body as he closed his eyes again, pupils too sensitive to absorb the vast amount of light that lay beyond in the world of sentience. He knew this was his own flesh and blood and that all was where it should be, but something felt wrong. From beyond his skin he felt warmth, and perceived that he was under several sheets and blankets. This made him curious as to where he was and how he had gotten into this position. His mind was caught in limbo, so preoccupied with the arduous task of awakening that he could not think much about the future or the past. Even the present seemed so distant despite his presence within it, time was a separate entity he needed to latch onto to drag himself out of this delirium that pumped through his body with each slow, lethargic beat of his heart.

His entire body felt heavy, as though it had been left in the wilderness without protection or provision for a long time. It felt stiff, drained of energy and impetus. He tried to feel and move his toes, and found his response sluggish and delayed. His mind was beginning to come out of the funk, but his body was still laden with idleness. Once more he tried to pierce the darkness and see the light that was held beyond, desperate to free himself from this lazy oppression.

He slowly opened his eyes, and while he strained at the light's intensity, he grew more used to it and found it was not as luminescent as it had first appeared. He took a moment to gaze directly upwards. He was in a room, spacious in size but cozy in appearance. The ceiling was adorned with a pattern on interlocking triangles, a mosaic of stone, shell, and glass that stretched in an infinite geometric pattern from every corner of the wall. Variants of yellow and gold were the preferred colors of the space within and outside the triangles, the actual lines that formed the geometry were cast in polished drops of turquoise and sky blue. It was simple, but no less interesting in the way so many disparate pieces came together to form a single image that multiplied itself endlessly across the ceiling's expanse, neutral in presentation but holding the innate power of expression as all art does.

He peered over to the walls, only able to move his head slightly and feeling a pillow beneath his hair, each strand compressed together beneath the weight of his head and creating great warmth, only further contributing to his body's dull haze. The walls were of a stone that tried to the best of its ability to resemble the shimmering gold and yellows of the ceiling and were painted like such. A tapestry adorned the wall to his right, showing no specific figure but once more adorned with rich patterns of interlocking lines and polygons. Beyond the foot of the bed the walls were bare except for a single door that for now was shut.

He heard a low huff come from his right, and slowly turned his neck to the sheets to see that closer to the bed was a large mound of black flesh that slowly rose and fell with the palpitations of breath. Suddenly realizing the truth of this being beside him, Hiccup attempted to sit up when a pang of lightning shot across his chest.

"Ahhhh…..ahhhhh!" He fell back what little distance he had made towards the pillow, growling as shocks of agony reverberated in a diagonal line from his lower right abdomen to his left shoulder. Along this entire line his body began to throb insufferably, the skin itself quivering at the intense pain that began to subvert as Hiccup laid back, breathing heavy as the shocks reached his extremities. His toes curled as the quick pangs faded away to a dull throbbing. He tried to soften his inhales as he found the natural response of heavy breathing only expanded his chest, causing him further pain. "Ahhh….gods what the…" He groaned as he made the futile effort of trying to sit up again, finding that the moment he began to put any strain upon his entire midsection it once more screamed out in agony for him to stop any effort to right himself. He complied with the desires of his body, and let out a stressed wheeze as he tried to return to the comfortable daze he had once known, this world of consciousness too painful to deal with.

_::Hiccup?::_ The black mound beside the bed had sat up and looked at the boy with a joyous appreciation to see emerald eyes staring back at him. He was breaking out into a smile, the toothless dragon lived up to its name and presented only gums at the sight of the boy freed from the bonds of rejuvenating rest that the body imposes upon itself in the most desperate of circumstances.

"T-Toothless?"Hiccup pushed out of his dry, stinging throat. It all seemed so surreal in this moment, his best friend looking down upon him in this strange room where he had so far known nothing but hazy delirium and far too real pain. The dragon lowered his head to the boy, purring at the back of his throat and nudging closer to the boy's own skull. Hiccup tried to raise his arms, but found that doing such things -especially with his left arm-involved too much strain on his chest and so he relented, nuzzling the dragon with his chin in the absence of fingers.

"Hey-hey Toothless. You're….you alright?"

_::Certainly in better shape than you…oh it is wonderful to see you awake. They were skeptical, but the Moon Goddess protects ones such as you. You are horribly stubborn sometimes, it is only logical that you would keep death waiting.::_

"D-death?" Hiccup wheezed out, his throat still sore but his mind in perfect operation as he came to understand his surroundings. Toothless was already saying things that confused him, but it seemed like a lot for the moment. Hiccup preferred to just keep feeling the warm, reptilian skin pressed so close to his face. He was hoping that the dragon would keep clear of his chest though. If pressure from the inside was capable of causing such pain, he didn't want to contemplate what any pressure from the outside would do.

_::Yes, but it has been avoided for now. Oh I just…it is so good to see you alive! And so well, your color is no longer whiter than it should be. You look so well, life has returned to you at last!::_ The dragon was ecstatic, the dull sensation of mental unity with the dragon began to strengthen again in the back of Hiccup's mind as waves of euphoria and happiness could be felt on that thin, unperceivable thread that wove the two entities together. With his body awoken from its daze by the agony of pain, Hiccup was now once more coming into his full personhood, with full control over his faculties of body and mind. While he was appreciative of these sensations, they likewise meant that he could easily perceive any subtle touch that had once been unnoticeable when he was trapped in the realm of sleep. When Toothless' chin started to lower towards his breast, the first moment pressure was applied to the area Hiccup groaned again as the lightning struck.

"HHNNNNNAAAAA….haaaaa….aaaa…Toothless…easy please." The dragon was quick to raise his head and removed himself away from Hiccup's personal space, seemingly regretful that he had caused any unnecessary pain to the boy that had so recently dragged himself out of the limbo between life and death that is prolonged slumber. He sat back and lowered his head in shame with himself, hoping for forgiveness and seeing it in Hiccup's eyes as they gradually softened, the shocks once again gave way to a radiating soreness and inflammation.

"Ah…it's alright Toothless. Just-pain. What-what happened?"

"You don't remember?" Astrid's voice rose from his left, and Hiccup moved his head to see her hair-more golden than the walls that surrounded him- shifting to reveal her face that looked for his own, her eyes having just broken away from the veil of sleep themselves. Her skin seemed to have grown paler than he recalled it to be, small red lines were pushing their way through the whites of her eyes and threatening to taint the immaculate sapphires held within them. Her entire complexion looked tired; he couldn't imagine he appeared any better.

"Astrid?" He squealed out as the dryness in his throat lashed out, furious at him for attempting to speak.

"Here…try this." Her arm extended from beyond the bed sheets, and weakly clasped an animal skin on a table next to her. With another arm that stretched from out of the bed sheets like a branch in the wind, she undid the plug on the top and passed it over to him. She tipped the nozzle towards his lips, trying her best to hold onto the heavy pouch as Hiccup lifted his head what little he could to reach it. A small splash of the liquid dripped down his cheek before another dose could find its way beyond his lips. Astrid pulled the skin back and held it in the space in between them as Hiccup swallowed the liquid and felt his throat relieved at last.

"Better…much better. Astrid…you-w-where are we?"

She managed a thin smile across her pale lips, closing her eyes a moment and opening them again. Even in weakness, towing the line between health and malady she appeared so sweet, so comforting when she needed to be. "I'll let Toothless start telling you, I'll talk when I need to." Her voice was low and gravely, straining to put words together as her own pains and discomforts ravaged her body. Hiccup did not understand what was causing this, and desired that he could just know the past, as painful as it could be.

_::Hiccup…::_ Toothless began, sitting up straight but projecting a soft and considerate voice as found between only the strongest of friends. _::Do you remember what happened with the attack on the castle? Our raid to win Astrid back? The battle?::_

While the events were indeed accessible to Hiccup's mind, he took a moment to put the flashes of memory together in an intelligible sequence of events. There were the streaks of torches against a black background, the shouting of innumerable tongues and the loud pings of steel colliding with itself. Fear and bravery had fused into a strange cocktail of emotions as Hiccup followed his way to the end of the memory, to when he had seen a sword come at his body from below his waist and felt the unique trauma of metal cutting across his flesh.

"Oh…right. Yes. The sword it-that's the pain. Gods it hurts so much. Was it-it was bad right? I can't-can't remember much after I got hit."

_::That would be for the reason that you lost a great deal of blood while the wound was open. As well as that, in order to halt the hemorrhage I had to use my fire to burn your skin. You lost consciousness during this time due to the immense pain, and remained in such a state until you have awoken, for your blood loss was great and you were given many things to keep you asleep for the sake of healing.::_

Hiccup wanted to run a hand through his hair, to pace, to do so many of things that he would normally do when listening. For now, all he could do was rotate his neck and make small movements of his lower legs, these being the only areas that would not disturb the delicate sight of his wound. He stared at the dragon as the shocked see the world after great trauma, but within his mind he worked hard to keep attentive and thoughtful as being awake was already proving to be a tedious and fatiguing action. "A-Alright…what then?"

_::Astrid and I were working to remove you from the site, but before we could place you on my back a warrior of the castle came out of the darkness and struck Astrid at the back of her upper thigh. Despite her injury we still managed to escape, but Astrid likewise lost consciousness due to her blood loss as we were flying back to the Moorish camp.::_

With as much speed as he could muster Hiccup turned is neck back towards Astrid, who this entire time had been watching the back of his head and formulating what she was going to say. She took a small sip from the water skin as Hiccup looked to her, eager for more answers and visibly concerned with what he was hearing about her health. Astrid knew she appeared in bad shape to him, and she removed the skin from her lips as she went to speak.

"Fortunately I didn't lose as much as you…flying and the need for air contributed as well. I couldn't control Toothless, so he just glided into the Moorish camp in what he tells me was a relatively smooth landing. I woke up later that night but was still weak. They didn't have the best healers in camp, so the morning after the commander told Toothless to tell me that we would be cared for in this city. So the commander-he wrote this letter in his language and attached it to Toothless' harness. Since my leg wasn't bleeding and I could at least sit down alright, we got-we flew at a low altitude and followed some instructions until we found this place…took most of the day."

Astrid stopped for the moment, taking a heavy breath to catch up on all that she had lost in her explanation. Hiccup was distressed to hear of her injury, but it was not a direct correlation as to why she appeared so sickly and her arms appeared so weak.

"How long was I out?" Hiccup gathered much of his strength to ask the question in one attempt, curious as to how long he had actually been removed from living events.

"Starting from-starting from the day after the attack till now…five days. We've been in this bed for four."

"But where-where is here?" His mind was slow and only desired sleep, but Hiccup could not fade away into darkness without knowing his location. It was a primal instinct, a desire to know one's place in the world that without knowledge of such left an individual vulnerable. With a slow nod of patience and interest he beckoned her on to speak when she was ready, a state of mind that she was struggling to maintain.

"This is-this is the palace of their ruler Hisham, in the city of Cordoba. When we arrived they read the letter and welcomed us in, gave you and I as good of treatment as they could. They have this guy-he's really good. At first I just insisted to stay with you here but-but my wound isn't doing too well itself. Got infected…it's been spreading. They're doing everything they can per the request of the letter, but there's puss…and yesterday they had to start cutting away at some skin that was turning black. They don't see any infection in you though; my guess is that Toothless burning your wound site must have saved you from it."

She tried to laugh, but all that came out was a low wheeze and long huffs of breath that shook her body, seeming to cause more pain than comfort. Hiccup looked to her with pity and concern, now understanding her sickly appearance and place beside him in this warm, inviting bed. It was so much to absorb, so much that he should have been concerned about but was unable to worry for, his mind struggling to stay above the waters of sleep that called him away from this painful world of consciousness.

"But-but can't Toothless-"

_::I have already tried, but despite such efforts the affliction remains. It is too deep within her flesh to be removed by heat without seriously burning her, the battle is one of her own will now.::_

Hiccup didn't bother to look back to the dragon as his question was cut off, much to his relief as the formation of words were becoming insurmountable obstacles to him at this point. This information was another pain to him, one that was not as shocking as the fire that would light up his chest at the slightest provocation but no less a depressing one. He was willing to accept his own injury; he had expected at least something in his desperate gamble to save her. But to hear of her own affliction, one that held so much potential to snuff out her life was distressing, another thing that weighed down his mind and beckoned him to the safety of darkness.

"Hiccup…" She reached her hand towards his own from beneath the sheets. "Thank you-thank you for what you did. I-I appreciate it. Whatever we're going through…it's worth it…" Her voice was growing as tired as they both looked; being dragged out of sleep had done little good for either of them.

"Th-thank you." He muttered as his fingers clasped onto her as an infant's does to any object, weak but desperate for some manner of comfort. Her skin was still warm; her blood still flowed as a healthy body does. Nevertheless, he could feel her weakness; in the same way he knew she could feel his. "But-but I'm sorry you're injured."

Astrid gave a weak smile, not out of lack of care but burdened by fatigue of body and mind. "It's alright. I'll get through it. You just-you just worry about yourself." Her eyes closed as the words left her; the only sound that came out of her was breath as fatigue drew her away from the stresses of thought.

"Only if-only if you promise to worry about _yourself_." Hiccup pushed beyond his lips with what breath he could manage. He tightened his grip on Astrid's hand, not anything too firm, but too scared to let go. This one lifeline to the physical world was a necessity as he to felt himself being pulled away from reality and back to sleep, having exhausted what little energy he had and desperately needing rest so both body and mind could recharge. At least he knew death had not taken him, even if her specter was not far behind the both of them.

_::I will make sure to look after the both of you, you may rest assured of that.::_

"Thanks bud…" Hiccup mumbled as he closed his eyes, focusing on Astrid's pulse within his hand as the steady rhythm of life pulled him into rest. Life was his, even if for now it required effort to hang onto that precious commodity. The warm sensation of the dragon's words filling his mind was easily enough to lull him into sleep, to the space between life and death where one is safe from the knowledge of either.

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

"Ahhh! AHHHHHHHH! It hurts!"

"Yes I know it hurt, you think it not supposed to hurt?"

Hiccup panted quickly in a desperate plea for air as the shocks of agony pulsed through his body, stemming from the deep gash that ran from the bottom right of his abdomen up towards his left shoulder. The whole area throbbed with intense heat as blood rushed in and out of the site, trying to relieve the intensely painful sensation that no amount of oils or crèmes could do much to alleviate.

The man who stood over him was the one both he and Astrid understood to be their caretaker, a physician of advanced age in body but whose mind was as sharp as any worthy blade. His skin sagged around his eyes, where dark circles brought about by years of stress and dedication to craft and manifested themselves. His eyes and beard shared the same black color even if some of his hair was finally showing a trim of grey as age relentlessly advanced upon him. His fingers were stiff, bony but still adept enough to take care of any regular person easily enough.

Astrid had some familiarity with the man already as he had cared for the both of them upon their arrival. His name in the native language was a long and winding one, a title that spoke more to his accolades than his true identity as his parents would have given him. Bestowing mercy for both Vikings, he allowed himself to be called by the name given to him by the people from whom they had escaped, Abulcasis.

"I know it hurt, but it continue to hurt unless I do something about pain. You lucky it just salve, if you be awake when I remove the cloth that burnt in your skin would know real pain…infidel."

His Norse was rudimentary but capable enough, learned so that he may aid mercenaries from the North that fought for the Caliph. He took some more of a white salve from a jar and rubbed it between his hands as he went to apply it. Hiccup winced as his fingers approached.

"Mmhhhnnnnaaa….ah...gods…"

_::Well you are not threatening to destroy my hearing with your screams, so this is certainly an improvement from when you first received the wound at least.::_

Toothless quipped from the corner, sitting attentively and watching with fascination as Abulcasis went about his business, tapping into an extensive knowledge of the human body and its workings as he first rubbed the white crème into the outer area of the wound. The dragon had made it very clear he would be happy to slaughter the man if pain grew too unbearable for either Hiccup or Astrid, but both humans had so far decided not to take him up on the offer. Abulcasis started with the flesh farthest away from the gash, and slowly worked his way inward to the incision site, the most delicate and tender flesh that was sensitive to the movements of air itself.

Hiccup and Astrid had awoken together in the morning and had rapidly fallen back into sleep; letting most of the daylight pass them by until shortly before sunset when Abulcasis had entered the room. Astrid woke Hiccup to alert him to the presence of the man, and the boy found himself with more energy after another bout of rest, now free from constant darkness as he had been in until that morning. The room now shone with orange as reflected from outside, two arched windows let in the light of the setting sun and let it illuminate the chamber as best it could, the light from a few candles providing whatever else was necessary. Abulcasis had pulled away the sheets and blankets that had been on top of them and revealed their bodies to the cool air, not quite cold enough to be uncomfortable but enough so that the safety of blankets was preferred. Hiccup found that he was wearing nothing but some undergarments, Astrid likewise only wore a small cloth around her waist. Both bodies were exposed for the sake of medical necessity.

Though he could not lift his head much, Hiccup could still see the gash where he was injured, and was repulsed at the injury. A single line ran in a diagonal across his entire torso. Where the rest of his skin was a pale white, the closer he looked to the wound the more he found it inflamed with red, purple and black. Tissue formed as quickly as it could, each pulse of his blood did what it could to relieve the agony of the site as Abulcasis rubbed the crème in, swearing that the mixture of a dozen ingredients did wonders for wounds such as these. Even if that was true, it did not stop the site from throbbing. It was an ugly gash that was for certain going to scar, that constantly ached whenever the delicate act of divided flesh trying to reunite was interrupted by Hiccup's desire to sit up or do anything other than lay motionless upon this bed.

"You lucky…if dragon did not use fire you would bleed to death. It stop whatever might cause infection. Very lucky boy, all you deal with is pain."

"Yeah…just pain…nothing wrong with that at all…" Even with a body that could not move, it did not impede Hiccup's mind from being sarcastic in order to lessen the severity of the situation.

"Well you _could _have been dead…I don't think either of us would have like that." Astrid responded with a tired voice that she was still struggling to keep up even in a waking state. Hiccup could now properly fear for her as he re-familiarized himself with the world of the conscious after so long an absence. He slowly turned his head to face her, a still and quiet body as much involved in the act of recuperation as he. Her beauty had become marred by a sickliness, an aura of desperation and ailment surrounded her.

"No…I-I wouldn't want either of us to die…would be so lonely." They kept their hands close together, the only parts of their bodies that could unite as they both reeled from internal agonies.

_::Likewise…even if it would be less of a strain upon my back.::_

"Ha-ugnnnnn….ahh….oh gods Toothless don't make me laugh!" Hiccup had instinctively tried to laugh at the dragon's dry statement, but found the convulsions within his chest ignited the pain of his wound again. Abulcasis moved back as he saw the boy erupt in pain again, but left him alone afterwards as he had already rubbed in all the crème he could.

"Careful! You do nothing to upset your injury. The faster it heals the better!" The aged Arab muttered to himself as he walked back to a small table next to the door, putting down his jar of salve and washing his hands with a cloth. While he demonstrated no real apprehension to caring for the two Vikings, he had clearly grown tired of his profession a long time ago. He had once been filled with a zeal to save the world as so many are, but had become tired and jaded to his craft by innumerable bad experiences where his art and failed him. He had lived a long life of success and failure, past his prime and now little more than a receptacle of knowledge that could only manifest itself slowly with old, shaking hands.

"Now you Astrid, we must check wound. I hope oil works, infection was still spreading yesterday." Abulcasis took a bowl of water and as small and thin a blade as could be made and walked over to Astrid's side, the bare breasted girl looking up at him only with a desire to be saved, as one looks to a trusted figure of faith.

"We flip you over, I must get to injury." He said tersely as he approached her, slowly bending over and placing the water on the table next to her along with the blade. Astrid seemed to be familiar with what happened in these events and sat up a ways before plopping herself back down in a prone position, having flipped over and revealing her wound to hiccup for the first time. It was a nasty looking site, where a dark red line from coagulated blood ran across the back of her right thigh. Pustules of white and green struck up from assorted places around the site; it did not look healthy by any means.

"Gods…" Hiccup could feel his throat contracting and pulsating, his stomach demanding to empty what little acid was present in it in revulsion at the festering injury that he was indirectly responsible for. His chest screamed for him to control himself lest his own wound erupt in pain once more, and he eventually kept his stomach under control-save for a small dose of burning acid that almost made its way to his mouth.

"I know…enjoying the view Hiccup?" Astrid muttered as the pillow muffled her speech.

Hiccup fought back the urge to chuckle, knowing what agony it would bring him. While he did peer down at what flesh of hers that was exposed beyond the loincloth that she sported, neither her body nor his was ready to accept anything more than the mere sight of the flesh. She was too sick, he too weak to appreciate the finer things of humanity. Abulcasis winced at seeing the wound, paying no heed to the banter of his patients.

"Ah…shame. Perhaps more of the crème…" He quickly walked back to the table and grabbed what remained of the salve he had been using on Hiccup. As he reached for the jar, the door beside him opened. Abulcasis said something to the man who entered in the native tongue before looking to Hiccup, who likewise found the interest of the new guest in their chamber.

"Hiccup…" Abulcasis started, suddenly nervous about the presence of the guest in the room. "This his Majesty Caliph Hisham, man rules palace and Cordoba." The man who entered shied away from the lavish title put upon him, seeming uncomfortable with such recognition. He seemed of advanced age as well, but wore skin that tried to deny this fact. While his black hair of both beard and head were showing strong signs of graying, his skin appeared twenty years younger than it should have been, giving a complexion of four decades to a man that held the posture and presence of six. He wore robes of orange trimmed with gold that draped over his body several times. His complexion was rich in the brown that the Moors typified, showing a strong heritage and connection to the people, no doubt making him a worthy ruler.

Hisham walked forward to Hiccup, only paying the slightest heed to the dragon in the corner that watched him with slight concern. While Toothless was familiar with Hisham after several days of being in this room waiting for Hiccup to wake up, he was still suspicious of the man who had taken them in being so close to the fragile boy. While Abulcasis performed the act of healing, Hisham seemed to have no remarkable qualities about him and had no rational reason to approach the sick boy. Still, the dragon permitted him to approach, ready to pounce at the moment's notice.

"Ah…the one called Hiccup is awake. A pleasure to see you at last. Yes they call me Hisham, lord of this palace and Cordoba itself." His Norse was slightly better than that of Abulcasis, refined over a longer period of time and showing a dedication to the art that only one with a great amount spare time could afford. He looked down upon Hiccup with an intense interest, pitying the gash that ran across his chest as taking away from being able to appreciate the rest of his physical characteristics.

"I was most interested when you and Astrid arrived so many days ago on the back of your dragon. He is a remarkable creature as well I must say."

_::Flattery will only get you so far with me…::_

"And I was likewise impressed with the letter Astrid carried from Al-Wahdid. He commends your actions and bravery for a boy so young in appearance as yourself. I was more than happy to accommodate a boy such as yourself, the likes of you should be rewarded, yes my friend?"

Hisham looked to Abulcasis for approval, but only met a rolling of the eyes and a groan of agreement as the physician brought his thin blade towards the pustules on Astrid's skin, too occupied with his craft to give himself to small talk. "Now hold still. This hurt but after we put salve on it and it feel better." Hiccup and Hisham watched with interest as Abulcasis took the blade to the first of the bumps upon her skin. Hiccup could see her skin tighten and her teeth grind together as steel broke the skin, letting the fluid within drain out with the assistance of one of the physician's fingers. Astrid groaned from the pain but did not quite scream or squirm with total discomfort. She accepted it as any person of warrior ethos does hardship, with stoic determination that every pain was fleeting, a temporary barrier to be overcome in the name of progress.

_::Why does she subject herself to such pain? Are there not less hurtful ways to relive the infection?::_

"No bud…I think this might be the only way." Hiccup muttered to Toothless. Hisham drew interest in the words that seemed addressed to nobody, but let this pass as he looked only briefly to Astrid and then back down to Hiccup, taking more of an interest in the progression of his injury than the relief of anyone else's. Hiccup was a little perplexed by Hisham's disposition, the way his eyes lit up upon scanning Hiccup's face and his lack of concern for his other guest. Were Hiccup not focused on his most beloved person enduring horrible pain, he would have thought more of it.

"Damn it…" She mumbled with her mouth close to the pillow, trying to remain collected as Abulcasis moved from bump to bump, slicing into each and pushing out as much fluid as he could. Despite how much she tried, Astrid could not resist moaning and whining as she subjected herself to such invasions of the blade. All Hiccup could do was clasp to her fingers, trying to console her with his nearby presence. If he could, he would have held her close and whispered assurances to her ear, but if he tried to do so in this state, he would probably need her to do likewise to him. It was amazing what one lucky strike could do to a person, how a single line across his skin rendered him so immobile. If nothing else, it made him further resolved to never suffer such a wound again.

"I know it hurt, I almost done." Abulcasis muttered as he drained the last pustule, which made a spurting sound as the fluid burst forth from its pressurized restraints and oozed down Astrid's thigh. Abulcasis let his knife fall on the bed and went for the wash bowl, pulling out a small rag from within and wringing it out. He gently rubbed the site of the many incisions, trying to remove the last of the liquid and washing away as much of it as he could. Hiccup still felt naseous at the sight, and it required a great deal of discipline to prevent more acid from climbing up his throat. Instead, he focused on the faint throbs of agony that refused to lay dormant as they pulsed outward from his chest, never fully dissipating until he could retreat from consciousness once more.

"She is a strong girl, very brave as well. I can see why you did what you did; Al-Wahdid was wise to commend you." Hisham spoke softly, with a tone that seemed genuine but held the slightest hint that deceit was in his voice. Hiccup couldn't tell, it might have just been his accent, one rich in the rolling tongue of the Moorish language that had grown weathered and refined after so many years of cultivation and practice.

"Yes-yes she is."

"Damn right I am." Astrid responded, lifting her head up from the pillow. Her neck was trembling, and she relaxed her muscles almost as soon as she could get her affirmation out. No matter her appearances on the outside, an epic battle was taking place in her interior between health and illness that was slowly sapping away at her strength. She groaned as her head hit the pillow, so frustrated with her own weakness and moaning with agitation as Abulcasis began applying some the same salve he had been using on Hiccup.

"Yes…very good girl. Hopefully this help. Your infection is strong, you must remain in bed. I bring you food later, perhaps Hiccup will try some as well yes?"

"Food? Yeah….yeah that sounds good." It was among the first words he'd heard today that genuinely sounded good to Hiccup, and he managed a weak smile at the thought of something heavier than water in his stomach, even if it was just a few nibbles. There was no point being in agony with any energy to fight the pain after all.

"Yes! We must get you better, the both of you. Abulcasis-as you infidels call him-shall see to your good health, yes my friend?" Hisham seemed to shine with excitement at the very thought of them recuperating, and Hiccup was grateful to see the man so enthusiastic. It was relieving that a man such as him, one of power and authority cared so much for him. It was a strange, welcoming feeling as a father would give, genuine concern and a refusal to spare any resource in seeing to health and happiness. In times of weakness such as this, Hiccup welcomed the sentiment.

"Yes Your Majesty Hisham, they made in good health for Ramadan, I assure you." Abulcasis answered quickly and without much care for respect, too interested in making sure he acquired his tools properly and bringing them back to the table near the door. "Astrid…I afraid you must stay as that, must keep wound open to air so that it heals. Sorry, must be done."

"Great…looks like you're staring at my ass all day Hiccup." Her muffled voice could still be heard as her lips moved up and down upon the pillow, and Hiccup converted the desire to laugh into a smile.

"Relax…I'm not in the mood. Kind of got this thing on my chest…really kills my desires."

"Oh? Sucks to be you then."

"Eh, I'll manage." Hiccup felt better with the exchange of banter, it implied a return to normalcy that even if a long way off was still a possibility for the two of them. Hiccup looked to Hisham who still hovered over him, but found his warm demeanor seemed to fade away with their conversation, annoyed by he and Astrid's closeness. There was much about this man that Hiccup desired to know about, and these strange emotions he demonstrated only made the boy more curious about this figure who had taken the both of them in.

"Yes yes you manage…Your Majesty Hisham, perhaps we leave them to rest? We must not disturb them much like this." Abulcasis spoke with a great deal of authority to the Caliph, considering his knowledge of medicine and the body to take precedence over whatever sentiments a man unskilled in such matters would have had. The Caliph allowed such an insult to his intelligence pass, accepting his inferior knowledge in such subjects as he walked to the door, regretful to be leaving but without the will to fight back. He seemed to be downtrodden in leaving his guests, Hiccup considered this a worthy mark on his character.

"Yes my friend…they should rest. I shall see them tomorrow perhaps? Now that they are awake?"

"Maybe…I will see how they are." Abulcasis muttered as he gathered his things and went for the door. The Caliph opened it for the aged physician and followed behind him, closing the portal behind them as he looked towards the tired, pained and bed ridden guests one more time. It was Toothless' impatient eyes that finally made the old man leave them to silence, and to weather the agony that refused to recede.

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

"Taste good?"

"After five days-five days without food anything is good."

In comparison to so much of what Hiccup had consumed in his life, the bread that was slowly being torn apart and wetted by his teeth and tongue was nothing of particular note. Nevertheless, as his stomach began to digest the first morsels that he had been given, his body nearly shook with relief at receiving energy for the first time in nearly a week. He chewed slowly, savoring the flavor of bread that had only just been baked that morning. This was going to be his last piece until tomorrow morning, and he was grateful for what little he was given.

Night had been present upon the world for a while now; he and Astrid had spent the time between the visits of Abulcasis occupied with occasional small talk about how they had come to this place, Hiccup intent on learning as much as he could about the time he had spent away from the world of consciousness. Unfortunately for him, Astrid had little to say and even less strength to speak. She gave a little more description of the flight to Cordoba, in which she battled horrible pain in her leg in attempting to navigate to the city based on a small map leant by Al-Wahdid. Other than that, most of the time that Hiccup had spent in bed was likewise shared by Astrid, who relayed a few anecdotes of getting to know Abulcasis, flattering their physician with respect for his station and admiration for his knowledge. Toothless slept next to Hiccup, having spent the day being their attentive guard but now fatigued, granting himself rest as both humans were now awake and could call for him when necessary. The presence of Abulcasis was no cause for his alarm anymore, trusting in the aged sage that seemed only intent to care for his closest friend.

Abulcasis pulled his fingers away from Hiccup's mouth as the last of the bread passed behind the boy's lips. The old man walked back to the table near the door, his legs slow and stiff but refusing to fail him despite his age. Hiccup braced himself as the thick bolus of bread and saliva made its way to the back of his mouth. He bit off a smaller portion and pushed the rest to the opposite side of his teeth. Mustering his courage, he swallowed the first part of the bread, finding that the convulsions of his chest were at least manageable as he negotiated the food down his esophagus, his scar hurting slightly as the precious food made its way to his stomach.

"Here…I fill these again. You must drink, both of you. It help you recover." Abulcasis took two water skins and opened them, walking over to the bed and placing one on the table next to Astrid and another in the space between her and Hiccup, intended for the boy. Having turned back to a supine position for the evening so that she could sleep, Astrid took hers and used all her strength to carry the vessel to her lips, downing a sizeable portion quickly and taking a deep breath as she pulled the nozzle away to breath.

"Oh yeah…" She whispered as the licked away what amount of the cool liquid was still on her lips. Abulcasis smiled at seeing one of his patients acting in such a healthy manner, but was momentarily dismayed as he saw Hiccup looking at his ration with nothing but longing and bitterness.

"Ah! Astrid you help Hiccup, arm not strong yes?"

"Yes." Hiccup mumbled with a dry throat that was begging for the hydration held within the skin.

"Ah…poor baby…" Astrid managed a laugh as she negotiated with her leg to turn slightly on her side, taking the skin intended for Hiccup and raising it to the boy's lips. He went for the opening as a new born does his mother's breast and absorbed as much of the fluid as he possibly could, not caring for the mild shocks that permeated his chest as he swallowed each gulp. Water was the elixir of life, from which all came and which all needed to survive. He had been deprived of it for so long that each cool drop that graced his tongue was as though the first he had ever had, this precious nectar that was sweeter than honey and more gratifying than alcohol. He pulled away only as Astrid's arm started to shake under the strain of holding the skin, and he panted hard as the pain in his chest grew, upset that he had put it under such pressure.

"Yes, drink is good…" Abulcasis grumbled as he went towards the door once more, his tone as tired as his legs. "It is late, I am old man. I must sleep. I check you in early morning as I do before. I sleep, you sleep as well yes?"

"Yes-yes we will. Sleep sounds good." Hiccup responded with his own tone of fatigue, Astrid nodded in compliance. Abulcasis gave the kind of smile only old men can give as he opened the door and closed it behind him, his footsteps fading away into the hallway. The room was left in quiet, the dim light of several candelabras gave a faint orange glow to the chamber where two bodies lay still within the sheets, too occupied with the prospects of staying warm and surviving to both the other much with conversation at this point. Both eyes began to close, each seeking rest after a long day of bonding and survival. It was almost over, the first twenty-four hours of mutual presence upon the border of death. The numb embrace of sleep was welcoming to the both of them. But not for everyone.

_"Huh….poor things. A shame to see you like this."_

Both sets of human eyes and the reptilian ones of the dragon beside opened and all looked around for the feminine voice, a high but soft one that seemed to have materialized out of nowhere. Toothless sat up and looked around, sniffing at the air but finding no scent of an intruder.

_"Come now, don't tell me you've already forgotten the sound of my voice. And here I thought we had something special…hahaha."_

The ring of the feminine laughter faded as a low buzzing sound began and from beyond the foot of the bed materialized a figure of gold. Her skin was as pure as snow; her single garment of glowing amber wafted loosely around her legs. Eyes of tranquil skies looked upon both Hiccup and Astrid with an amused interest; translucent wings upon the figure's back stopped buzzing as they halted their use. The entire figured glowed as though carrying the corona of the sun around its body, her form was as though molten gold were given amorphous, human form. Its small feet made no impression upon the sheets as it walked from the foot of the bed towards both humans, smiling with interest as she approached.

_::You…the one of the forest! What are you doing here? How are you here? What purpose do you have of us now, mischievous oracle?::_ Toothless demonstrated no real appreciation for the presence of the irradiant figure, one that had not graced them during their entire time in France and whom they had all begun to think was nothing more than a troublemaker, having taunted them with talk of fate and destiny without giving any fulfillment or further information on the matter. Dwynwen seemed to care not for the dragon's apprehensions, only smiling to the beast as a parent does to an unruly child that cannot be disciplined at the moment.

_"It is clear that the Moon Goddess has not exactly bestowed her patience upon you has she?" _She quipped as she came towards Hiccup's waistline. She extended one of her hands towards the site of Hiccup's injury. The boy winced for what would come and Toothless bared his teeth at the winged creature, but both were surprised to find nothing came from the touch of the golden fingers. Nothing painful at least, for Hiccup felt only relief and relaxation coming to his wound as the golden glow of such tiny digits moved over him, dissipating all pain and agony with a touch that could not be felt. Toothless huffed at the insult to his principles that Dwynwen gave him, but held his ground and thoughts as the figure stopped at an equal distance from Hiccup and Astrid's ribcages.

_"Oh…Master told me that this would happen. Even when you know it's coming there is something so sad about seeing people such as yourselves in pain. Your gods can be so cruel sometimes, but I guess that is one of the realities of my own existence."_ She spoke with a solemnity in her voice, but nothing too serious. She seemed less interested in their pain, and more in their existence as a whole.

"What do-what do you want?" Astrid asked, having neither the patience nor the energy for grand words or great philosophies as the messenger had bestowed upon them in her last visitation. Hiccup likewise looked upon her with irritation. While glad to be graced by the presence of a creature that communed with the greater forces of the universe, he was in neither the physical state nor mental fortitude to be bothered with such things right now.

_"Ah yes, the impatient stares and aggravation. Master told me to expect this, especially considering your injury. Such fury and agitation is to be expected of people put through great turmoil, it is one of the downsides to your mortal form."_

Her pedantic attitude did not earn her much favor from any other person, but she continued regardless, too occupied with her role in existence to care much for the sentiments of others. _"If you only wish to know what I want, so be it. I am here only to give you reassurance in times such as these, as trying as they are."_ Both Hiccup and Astrid looked to her with a renewed interest, still annoyed but curious in her words. _"My Master-your gods-have been observing you keenly since our last meeting and are most pleased with your progress. The One and The Many both have their favorite moments from your lives, and look forward to that which lies ahead for you, all of you."_

The winged messenger grinned to herself and silently laughed as she stepped back slightly, showing the backsides of her wings to the humans and dragon. Clear panels of delicate flesh were adorned with an infinite sequence of geometric lines, extending in random order and construction along the entire width of the wings. She turned back towards them with assurance in herself and her message.

_"I come simply to remind you that this pain that you feel now-however intolerable as it might appear-is but a passing agony, one of the many in this grand test that the gods place upon you and all life that is tormented with the prospect of death. Likewise, as I congratulate you on enduring the hardships that you have been through, I come to warn of greater ones in the future."_ Her voice now lost some of its joy, truly disturbed by some knowledge she held but refused to disclose, not daring to interfere with the construction of so many lives as her superiors had created. She made a short glance to Hiccup, seeming to hold specific knowledge of him but refusing to disclose it. A small part of Hiccup wanted to inquire, but his body and mind were already so weak that he feared putting either under much more stress. _"You-there must be a strong strength in spirit in both yourselves and in each other for the turmoil ahead. What you have built shall be tested greatly; faith in each other and my Master are likely to falter at some point. You shall see darkness and be surrounded by it, know this as you come back to the light."_

Her prophecy caused a sudden relaxation in the blood of all mortal creatures present, not out of relaxation but out of grim anticipation. Why would she tell them this? To let them know of such suffering that lay beyond how many months passing? Astrid and Hiccup looked to the other, fearful of what could manifest from the vague words that dug into their ears. War? Famine? Plague? What was coming for them?

_::You frustrate me. You dare say that I am not capable of defending those that I care so much about? I take offense at this!::_ Toothless was quick to put fear aside and turn to anger, irritated that his skills as a protector were being regarded as inferior by the prophet's determination in what was to come. Dwynwen showed little concern for his feeling, being far better versed in the consequences of destiny than he could ever be.

_"Oh think not that you are excluded from the future my friend, for darkness will take you as well. You should count yourself lucky though, you shall indeed find a kind of black that you will enjoy, even if begrudgingly. Never think that your lunar protector does not keep track of your life as well, The Many work within the will of Master after all, that which you desire shall be provided."_

She lifted herself into the air as her wings began to hum, beating so fast that their individual movements could not be discerned. She looked upon them all with appreciation and pity, enjoying their presence but mourning what was to come. In that single moment she seemed regretful of her being, despising the knowledge she was given but knowing it was her duty to carry the pains of immortality upon her shoulders, to accept the burden of watching the living and ever soon to die suffer that which could so easily be avoided. Nevertheless, it was who she was, what she was made to be and what she would forever be until her master decided that the experiment of life was to be ended.

_"But until then, you have love to cultivate and life to savor. I would advise doing both whilst you can; it shall make the darkness sweeter. Only when this pain has passed shall we meet again, and until that time…"_ She went for her garment and plucked forth some of the golden thread, crushing it within her hand, mourning her parting and that which was to come. _"…trust in Us."_

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

**Hello Peoples!**

**So a brief history lesson here for those interested. All the Moorish characters thus far featured in the story are actual people from history. Hisham II was the Caliph of Cordoba basically from 976 until 1013. Almanzor (referenced in Chapter 26) was the effective ruler of the state at this time though, and was a famous general that died in 1002 after injuries sustained in the Battle of ****Calatañazor. (Also referenced in Chapter 26). Al Wahdid was one of the many generals to succeed him and attempt to maintain control over the Caliphate, and after a brief absence placed Hisham II back on the throne in 1010. Abulcasis was a famous Moorish Physician who is often considered the "Father of Surgery" for his numerous books and advancements in the craft. For those that have been wondering, the story is currently taking place in the Winter of 1012-1013, having started in the Autumn of 1011.**

**This is a slow chapter I know, but alas with injuries such as those our heroes have suffered there is little they can do. What better a time for a little visit from our favorite messenger from the gods? Fear not that they shall recover, but not without trial and hardship. Much thanks as always to "Writer for the Tylwyth Teg" for her Beta work.**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and regardless if you did or didn't feel free to leave a review, favorite, follow, etc. Time for me to get started on the next chapter and I'll see you next week!**

**-Mc.**


	29. Bed Rest

"I've got to piss so freaking bad…"

"I know. You think I'm doing any-any better? Remember who's the girl among us?"

Hiccup was in the middle of a very difficult task, of trying to ignore his body's urge to urinate while at the same time trying his best to save himself from pissing the bed. He had been grateful to begin drinking water again last night, but now that his organs had received what they needed to function properly again, the excess had quickly filled his bladder and was demanding to be released. Unfortunately for Hiccup, the injury upon his chest made sitting up-let alone standing-an impossible task for the time being. So he lay in two kinds of agony, denied the pleasure of ambulation and the relief of an empty bladder.

"If he doesn't get here-get here soon I'm going to pee all over my sheets. He's usually been here when I wake up…what's taking him…?" Astrid's malady seemed to have failed in progressing any more since yesterday, and she was feeling slightly better as the two had awoken that morning, keeping as much joy about her as possible despite her weakened state. Hiccup understood that hers was not a condition that warranted trying to get up from bed, her leg at this point too sore and unsteady to allow much balance. They both looked between each other and the mosaic ceiling, counting fleeting moments that never seemed to progress, forcing them to acknowledge the suffering of unrelieved functions. The only relief in the matter was that Toothless was still asleep at Hiccup's side and could not bother them with logical perspectives on the art of urination in his state.

"Don't know-don't know how much longer…" Astrid was moaning to herself, having squeezed her left leg over her right. Hiccup had anecdotally observed that Astrid-and he thus assumed all girls-did tend to have a desire to urinate more often than he, and it had only taken a few days in Ireland to learn that telling her to "just hold it" was not the wisest course of action. It was almost funny to Hiccup that the perfect little warrior, the emblem of Viking pride that was Astrid Hofferson could be brought so low by something as simple as the bladder. No matter exterior appearances, despite how much honor and respect was lavished upon any one person, it was the basic art or urination that rendered them as human as any other.

"Astrid…" Hiccup started, hoping to distract both himself and his comrade in misery from the needs of their body by retreating back into their minds, the one safe refuge for all peoples when the body becomes too unbearable an object to deal with. "What's-what's the longest you've ever held it for?"

"Mmh? What?" She asked, surprised at the sudden question.

"You know…what's the longest you've had to do this? There had to be a longest time before this right?" Hiccup had only intended the question as a means of distraction, but now it genuinely interested him. What were the limits of the female body in this regard?

She mulled the question over for a short while, no doubt relieved that she was being distracted by any manner of conversation. She looked into her recollection, trying to remember some obscure event that she would have otherwise forgotten were it not for the subject being raised.

"Huh…I-I guess it was when my dad had me do night training?"

Hiccup looked over to her, trying to gently negotiate his thighs closer together as Astrid had done to provide some extra control for himself. "Night training?"

"Oh yeah…" Astrid laughed a little, nothing too grand but enough to convey a somewhat jolly recollection. "Shortly after I turned fourteen he decided I was mature enough for-mature enough to practice fighting and survival at night the way adults are expected to do it. So for a whole week I basically slept during the day and we went out every night. He taught me how to do all these things like navigating the island and laying traps without torchlight…finding your way with starlight is tough-real tough."

"Gods…dad never had me do that. Then-then again…"

"Trust me, you weren't missing out on-weren't missing out on much. So one day-night rather-he had me test being stationary to avoid detection. So we found this group of bushes to hide in and spent the night lying down there, without sleep or movement or really much talking. And I-and I had to pee so bad…it was horrible. And this went on all night-from sundown to sunrise. The moment he said we were-said we were done I scurried out from the bushes and found the nearest tree. Gods it was…I've never went for long in my life. I came out from behind the tree and my dad was actually tapping his foot…waiting for me. That was a long time…don't know if it's as long as this."

Hiccup was truly impressed, even if the circumstances that Astrid had to endure seemed rather ridiculous to him. He'd never heard of night training being anything like what Astrid described. He knew it was expected that a Berkian could take care of himself if out in the wilderness at night, but those were skills that were expected to be indoctrinated over a long time like so much of the wisdom that was passed on from generation to generation. It was natural and slow, like the skills of mending different pieces of clothing or cooking different foods, all skills that were so essential to life that they were woven into the act of living itself. What Astrid described seemed almost surreal to him, an act of taking something so natural too far in the name of some goal that Hiccup could not understand.

"Wow…that's…wow…"

"So how about you? How long have you had to hold it?"

Hiccup already had his scenario prepared to roll off his tongue, and managed a smile as he went to relate. "Well it wasn't anything like that. We-Snotlout and I when we were…I want to say twelve we-we had a bet to see who could hold it longer…"

Astrid turned to look at him as he finished the sentence with a perplexed expression, showing some color in her face that indicated a slow but steady victory over the infection. "Boys…" She shook her head, closing her eyes as she smiled to herself. Hiccup allowed her candor to pass as he got back to his memory, trying to ignore the growing pressure in his groin that was slowly creeping its way downward.

"He figured-Snotlout figured that he could outlast me after I had complained of not relieving myself for a long time the day before. So the day after we made the agreement that neither of us would, starting after sunup and compete. Our dads actually approved and helped make sure nobody cheated. We-we kept at it for most of the day. Then it was…I think it was near sunset when we were both really feeling the pressure. The big thing was that we saw storms clouds coming, and after one-one crack of thunder Snotlout just lost it…all down his pants. Good thing though…I wasn't going to last much longer anyway."

"Wait…Snotlout-Snotlout pissed his pants? At age twelve? Because of a little thunderstorm?"

"Well I mean we were both about ready to-"

"Oh Freya!" Astrid started to laugh, her torso convulsing with sudden shocks as the image of an adolescent Snotlout waddling back to his house with disgraced trousers ran through her mind, giving entertainment to this soul that for the past week had known nothing but misery. But the smile on her face quickly turned into a scowl as her attention was once more drawn to the overwhelming strength it was taking her to retain the dignity of a controlled bladder. "Oh gods! It's…mmh…Hiccup-Hiccup I don't think I can-"

Before Astrid began to scream at the agony of an exploding bladder the door at the front of the room creaked open. The slow, lumbering figure of Abulcasis manifested from the other side, the tall man with a hunched back trudged his way into the room, growling to himself as he looked his patients over and found there to be nothing wrong with them. "Sorry I come late, palace guard fell from tower early in morning and I had to treat him. He dead now, no matter. You need the pan yes?" There was little concern or impetus in his voice, without much interest in his workings but driven by a conviction that had so long ago implanted itself into his soul that he could not ignore it. No matter how much he may not have wanted it, the well-being of others was his paramount concern, even if not one he any longer cared about.

Toothless rose at sensing the door open. He perked his ears as he rose, for a brief moment trying to analyze the room for threats before finding it was only the caretaker of his friends.

_::Oh…is it not later than when he is first here? Does he not come earlier to aid the relief of your-::_

"Yes…pan please. Astrid first." Hiccup spoke up with what little command his recovering voice had to offer him and nudged with his head to the girl beside him. Toothless did not take long to see that there had been a delay in the usual morning routine, and laid back down, not falling back into the slumber of sleep but keeping an ear alert just in case, refusing to totally trust any stranger regardless of how much care they gave. Abulcasis had come into the room with a number of basins and supplies held between his frail arms, most of which he placed on the table near the door with the exception of a copper basin that he took within his fingers. He shuffled his way over to Astrid, who sat up and with as much energy as she could muster threw her legs over the side of the bed, spreading them apart as the doctor approached. Hiccup looked away so as to give her privacy, face reddening steadily as he listened to the sound of Astrid's undergarments coming off and the din of a constant stream of fluid striking again an echoing metal surface. It went on for a long time, much to Hiccup's amazement before the pinging sound softened and finally stopped. Hiccup did not appreciate having to listen to such a thing when so close to her, but accepted the circumstances to be what they were.

"Oh yes…" It was a rapturous moan that comes from the truest happiness, and one that Hiccup was eager to replicate as Abulcasis walked from one side of the bed to the other. Hiccup wished he could move; he would have been shaking with joy at the prospect of what was coming. All Abulcasis did was walk quietly over to his side, without expression or conviction. It interested Hiccup, the way two beliefs seemed to show in Abulcasis' words and action. He didn't seem repulsed or bothered by the actions that he did, but still showed a great irritation in being called to do such things that were beneath the might of his intellect. Yet he was still driven, propelled by the calls of others and his own conscious to perform the most menial tasks of the medical practice.

_::And yet another peculiar feature of humans that you are brought so low so quickly by your bladders, it is amazing you overcome such faults regardless…::_

"You then…will just have to use force. Try not to spill please." Abulcasis grumbled as he lifted the blanket off of Hiccup, delicately placing the pan on the bed and pulling down Hiccup's underwear. Under any other circumstance Hiccup would not have been comfortable with any old man doing so, but injury was the great neutralizer of all apprehensions. Abulcasis held the basin to his groin, and Hiccup closed his eyes and let reality slip away as he relieved himself. Initially, it burned horribly, almost as if fire was leaving him. But after a few moments, the feeling diminished, and feeling as though a great weight was lifted off his body he couldn't help himself from giving a moan of his own. He noticed out of the corner of his vision that Astrid had hoisted her legs back onto the bed and was laying still, having already exerted so much of herself in sitting up and relieving so dire an urge. After Hiccup was done, Abulcasis placed the pan back on the bed before rolling Hiccup's underwear back up and throwing the blanket over him, giving warm comfort to the frail body. The boy himself was feeling faint with relief and had a subtle quiver to his frame while his eyes closed with pleasure.

"I should have come early…so much…" Abulcasis mumbled as he carried the basin back to the table much to the amusement of both patients who knew just how much they had needed a visit by the man. However, a moment later, he paused, staring into the pan Hiccup had just used. The healer's face fell into an expression of concern.

"Hiccup…" He said, the boy looking to him with sudden alarm that something he could not understand was wrong. "Your urine very dark, almost brown."

Hiccup's heart began to beat quickly, his eyes widening. He may not have been a healer, but even he knew that a deep color of the urine was a bad sign. "And...what does that mean?" He asked, faltering as he swallowed nervously.

"Mean your body need more water, humors not in balance." Abulcasis answered, putting the pans down and washing his hands with a damp rag he had carried with him, "You were asleep many days, this not surprising. Just drink water and restore the balance, all will be good."

"Oh…alright." Hiccup sighed, glad that it was nothing too serious but dismayed that there was yet another thing wrong with him, all thanks to one stupid wound he should have been smart enough to avoid.

The healer looked to and nodded towards Astrid, considering her worthy enough for his purpose. "You remind him to drink today, whether he want or not."

"Great, so I'm going to have to get up and piss every half hour." Astrid chuckled when Hiccup complained, but agreed to do so with a confident nod in both her ability to make him drink and the boy's willingness to do so. After all, who could resist her charm?

"Trust me, you'll be giving him the pan a lot today…"

"Ha…I am lucky…" Abulcasis grumbled as he unwrapped a loaf of bread from another cloth, and the smell alone drew the attention of the younger patients whose eyes widened at the thought of sustenance again. "Before I come I tell cook to make something stronger for you, he will bring it for afternoon meal. For now, bread will last you. He tore the large loaf into two pieces and first walked over to Astrid, handing the girl her ration which she took in her own hands. Abulcasis arranged the sheets around her as she took the still slightly warm and soft nutrition in her fingers, clutching to something so simple that meant so much. Though her arms were much like her body in their weakness, this did not stop her from bringing the bread to her lips and slowly tearing a small piece off, chewing it carefully and savoring it as much as she could. Abulcasis walked over to Hiccup next, the boy laying still but expectant. The previous night Abulcasis had brought a small stool over to Hiccup's side so that he could feed the helpless boy, and the physician took his seat as he tore off a piece of the loaf, pressed the interior down so that bread became thick and moved towards Hiccup's lips, begging the boy on to move the small, extra distance to take the food.

"Good. You must eat, food good for recover." The physician mumbled, showing some of the spark of once youthful passion in his eyes. Hiccup admired how he could switch from a stodgy, fatigued countenance to a caring and nurturing determination as he went about his profession, having never quite lost that once powerful drive that had no doubt driven the man on to good and noble things. Hiccup swallowed the first morsel with some effort, the wound upon his chest inflaming slightly as he moved to devour the piece.

"You drink now," Abulcasis said as he looked to the bed and saw that between Hiccup and Astrid lay the water skin he had left for the boy last night, still with some left within. He moved to grab the skin and lifted it up to boy's lips, once more challenging him to make the small effort of leaning in towards the nozzle, intent that the boy recovered as quickly as possible.

"Mmh…water's warm but good-good enough." Hiccup said as he pulled away, having taken his fill for the moment.

_::And he does not even bring you fresh water…sloppy. I can still kill him if desired.::_

"No…no Toothless it's alright." Hiccup mumbled. Abulcasis did not care whether or not the boy seemed to be speaking towards the air and tore off another piece of bread, squeezing it and bringing it to the boy's lips again.

"Abulcasis…" Astrid began, seeking conversation to break the room's silence."…you've been-you've been doing this a long time haven't you?"

Abulcasis did not seem to show much concern or outward interest in the question but still opened his lips to respond regardless. "Yes. Long time I take care of sick. They call me best. I am best." He showed no shame in his confidence as he moved the water skin to Hiccup's lips to follow up on the recent piece of bread. "For half century I have been doing this, looking at people and healing them. Allah blessed me with knowledge; I use that knowledge until Allah calls me. Such is world."

"Half a century? How have you done it that long?" Hiccup couldn't tell if Astrid was truly that interested in the history of the man or was just looking for something to pass the time, but either way he appreciated the conversation to distract him from his anxious stomach that was craving food, at the same time balancing on the delicate threshold he had to avoid to be spared from the lightning laying latent within his chest.

"Eh…when you good at something you do it. No point not looking for knowledge when you can have it. I spend life teaching others what I know, so they can do work of Allah as well. It is calling, I do it."

"Do you ever-ever get tired of it?"

"Ha…" Abulcasis gave out a low huff of laughter as he ripped off another piece of bread and brought it towards Hiccup, the hungry boy watching with interest as the physician recounted a life well spent, entertaining them both with the very story of his many years. "Do you tire of life?" Only sick tire of life and love. Yes I old, yes death is near. But that is not reason to stop doing what I know…only thing I know. This is path for me in life; I will do it till I am with Allah without question of age or being tired."

_::It is easy to say you do not tire of life in such a short time, try eternity and get back to me on that matter oh wise one…::_

"Interesting…" Astrid mumbled as Abulcasis continued to alternate between bread and water for Hiccup, the girl taking some more bites out of her bread as well, feeling her strength slowly return as it continued in an epic fight to preserve her body's health against the ravages of disease. Silence held control over the room for a few moments as the dire need for nutrition took precedent among all people before Hiccup spoke up after another sip of water.

"So you-you have always been here? In this city?"

"Mmh…mostly. A few times I travel to teach students but I stay in city rest of life. Most of life I work for Caliph Hisham. People like me…smart people work for the Caliph. He is only one that support and defend the smart, other people cannot. It is good job, even if…hahaha…"

Abulcasis' laughter drew the interest of both Hiccup and Astrid, belying some kind of greater knowledge that warranted deeper probing. Hiccup narrowed his eyes towards the physician who had torn off one of the last chucks of bread and moved it towards Hiccup's lips, a grin upon his own at considering what he knew.

"What? What's so funny?" Hiccup asked as he took the bread into his mouth. Abulcasis nodded with delight, reveling in the opportunity to speak on what he knew.

"Ha…I think it funny that men who support me to do good do evil. Hisham had father-Hakam. Both he and son give selves to unhealthy things. They are given to _dhanb_… lack virtue like most men. It is consequence of wealth, of luxury. Hisham more so…for he does little in life. A shame…" Abulcasis shook his head, reflecting upon a vast history of watching the moral failings of father and son. He moved the last piece of bread to Hiccup's lips as he continued. "When Hakam died, Hisham was still a boy. Al-Mansur had control of army, so he was true ruler for long time until dying ten year ago when battling Infidels. During whole of this time Hisham did little, was but image of power, Al-Mansur controlled it all. I watched boy grow up without guides, with power he could not use and no need to distract himself with work. Plenty of time to indulge himself, against my advice…"

Abulcasis began to chuckle again as he lifted the water skin to Hiccup's lips, giving the boy the last of the contents before drawing away and standing up from his stool, placing the skin on the bed and walking towards Astrid.

_::He certainly loves dancing around whatever he knows, is it for the sake of embarrassment or controversy? I will never understand why humans insist on deceiving others for so long on these matters, it is never for the better…::_ Toothless lamented on the ways of humanity from his rest. He showed little outward concern for the story of the physician, but remained attentive in his own way, curious as to the malady that the man was alluding to and whether or not it would threaten the humans that were for now so helpless.

"Astrid, I check your wound again."

"Sure but…" Astrid began to haul herself onto her side, feeling less of a pain at her wound that she took to be a good sign. "…but Abulcasis-what exactly are you talking about, what's so bad about Hisham?" She managed out as Abulcasis helped push her onto her side with a grunt, pushing her right leg a little more forward so that he could better see the spot of the injury.

"Ah yes…the salve is working well. Less puss, less infection. You fight it well." He remarked positively as he laid her back to a supine position, smiling with pride that his work had done so well to keep his patient healthy and confirming that even in his age he was still as competent as ever in his skills. He walked forward to the front of the bed before stopping and turning to the two patients, giving Hiccup a slightly longer amount of attention that made the boy all the more nervous.

"Ha…yes the _dhanb_ of Hisham. He is given to ways that fail to give him heir, and has fallen to indulge himself in your kind…" Abulcasis raised a finger to Hiccup, causing immediate alarm in the boy as he started to put the words of the physician together. Toothless had opened his eyes and sat up again, intrigued as to why his best friend was being signaled out.

"Wait…so-so he-"

"I feel bad for him I do. Feel just as much bad for boys he use though. All his life he did not know power. So he abuse what power he has to make himself feel power. I warn him and Hakam of the danger for body and soul many times, but they do not like fact, prefer imagination. Even after Hisham got first infection, would not stop his _dhanb_…shame…" Hiccup and Astrid looked to each other, suddenly interested in the indulgence Abulcasis described.

On Berk it was not really spoken of and for good reason. It was a desire that was counterproductive to the needs of an island in so constant a need of children. It was occasionally brought up in gossip, but rumors were rarely substantiated and most whispers ended up being nothing more than insults. It was a desire with two standards, those that allowed themselves to be used were left to ridicule while those that dominated received praise for their strength. As the dragon raids had increased and the situation grew ever more desperate with each successive generation, it had come to likewise be viewed as a luxury, something that only the softer peoples of the Southern lands indulged in because they had the time and people to spare. In the time of Hiccup and Astrid's lives, it had become little more than a jest at a man's name.

"Wait-wait so Hisham-"

"Has no son but enjoys the flesh of those that belong to others. Considering your appearance-as soft and good looking as you are-it make sense that Hisham is so welcoming…" Abulcasis turned to go towards the door, smiling to himself that all his knowledge of body and soul was disregarded in the name of pleasure. "I will return with new water skins for you and make sure cook is making good food. I come back later. Rest well." His dry voice carried over all of them and vanished as he closed the door behind him. Astrid and Hiccup were left in bewilderment and suspicion, the walls that surrounded them beginning to feel less like sanctuary and more like a prison, a holding cell for desirable traits.

Toothless managed Hiccup's attention with a loud huff, causing the boy to turn and face the curious beast that once more sought to widen its knowledge on the peculiarities of human desire. _::Excuse me…but I am failing to see what your caretaker is referring to. May one of you please explain this so called indulgence?::_

Hiccup flashed back to a hot day in France where he'd already had to explain one complexity of human sexuality to the dragon, and he didn't feel any desire to travel down that road again. "Eh…it's a little complicated…"

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

It turned out to be a lot more complicated than they had first thought.

A discussion on the issue carried on from the mid morning into the noontime hours. Hiccup hadn't wanted to get into it nor had Astrid, but the dragon was relentless in his quest to understand. The humans thought he cared too much, trying to apply logic where there was none and seeking reason where it had never been considered to exist. Neither one considered themselves particularly proficient on the matter either, each having differing opinions on why such behavior even existed and who were the more likely to engage in it. Were it the lazy or the naturally more effeminate that were prone to being subdued? Did the effeminite by body have any need for such feelings-could they even do anything? Could the stronger render himself to the weaker if he so chose?

Neither could really say much, the practice having been so taboo on Berk for so many years and never being truly discussed outside the context of jokes or dirty stories. The most they could give the dragon was that it was just another one of those weird human things, an idiosyncrasy he could never understand. Yet the more they tried to end the discussion, the more the dragon questioned, no amount of information being enough to satisfy the innate desire to understand such a strange concept. It was only the presence of Abulcasis as he came in and out of the room, dealing with application of ointments and salves, giving drink to Hiccup and interrupting with tales of his many past patients and exploits that could get Toothless to stop his inquiry for however long a time. The day had passed in this manner without exception until the arrival of the object that brought up the most delicate subject of strange desire, Hisham.

Free from the delirium that had controlled him all of yesterday, Hiccup could better absorb the figure and mannerisms of the man who had bestowed such grace upon both he and Astrid. He had arrived late in the afternoon when Abulcasis had been in the middle of relating some rather unsavory details about his inspections into the complexity of the human womb. He was this time dressed in robes of black, trimmed with silver at the edges and with a sprawling design of likewise colored vines giving depth and decoration to the wider expanses of the garment. He held himself tall, not out of pride but out of a desire to be prideful. His skin was indeed much more youthful in appearance than his revealed age dictated that it should be. He seemed to live up to Abulcasis' immediate descriptions as a man who had indeed done little of note with his life, his skin soft in appearance and his entire body seeming to have escaped the stresses of youth and middle age, especially for a person placed in such a high position as a ruler. Hiccup took this as further proof of his trappings.

Abulcasis had enjoyed giving a brief history of his life to Hiccup and Astrid throughout his comings and goings from the room. While he still cursed the vice which ignored the advice of both medicine and faith, he at least conceded that Hakam had been a wise and powerful ruler, doing well in supporting the arts and sciences and seeing the prosperity of his domain. Hisham had much less to be commended for. Abulcasis went on seemingly forever about the boy's weakness and poor timing upon his father's death, barely a proper adolescent when the Caliphate was thrown into turmoil on the death of its ruler. Weak and without real allies, it was easy for Almanzor to take true control, giving the young boy a mercy of being allowed a title and a palace to keep the populace contempt. He had grown up as a shadow, too weak to rise above his circumstances and without the connections to learn how. Abulcasis almost seemed to mourn the loss of opportunity, mulling in hindsight that if he and others had done more they could have guided the boy to a proper and moral life within his station.

What Hiccup saw of the Caliph upon his visit demonstrated that it was indeed a desire that should have been fulfilled.

The man had entered the room joined by a small entourage consisting of a forgettable minister and two boys around Hiccup's age, give or take a year. They were of unique characteristics and dress. They dealt with a problem that many young men faced, of their bodies refusing to show the so often desired and necessary traits of full manhood and still languishing in the soft, feminine features of youth. The both of them -of the fairer complexion of the native population- seemed to despise this failing of their body and the consequences of such. They were dressed in clothes as innocent and soft looking as themselves, almost seeming more fitting for girls of their age than their own gender. Their heads were hung, mostly refusing to make eye contact with either bed ridden Viking or physician. Astrid in particular took an interest in them, monitoring every nervous look they gave Hiccup and their movements when Hisham made any move, not so much out of fear but from an innate manipulation, having been trained towards submissiveness towards the man that towered above them.

Hisham himself focused little on Astrid, content to hear that her wound was healing and letting her presence fade away into the background. Instead he continued to focus on Hiccup, obsessing over every detail of the boys recovery. How long until the wound began to look healthy? How long until he could stand? Could walk? Every question begged for the boy's health, but little of the boy himself. Hiccup wished for questions about where they had come from, why they were here, about the Spaniards they had escaped. Yet nothing about Hiccup mattered, only Hiccup himself.

Abulcasis toyed Hisham along, giving him vague information as to the recovery of either Viking and showing less respect for the Caliph than Hiccup thought would have been necessary for a man of such station. The failings of Hisham's body and spirit seemed to have weakened whatever authority his title held over anyone, and having mulled upon such things all day Abulcasis let his disdain for the aged puppet show. As the Caliph found it difficult to get much information and with Astrid's presence noticeably making him uncomfortable, he left soon after arriving, the two boys by his side vanishing out the door with him as though compelled by invisible chains around their neck. The aged physician grumbled to himself as the Caliph left them, muttering things in the tongue of the Moors that Hiccup only assumed to be condemnations and pity. Toothless' only comment was on how pointless the presence of the boys was, still not totally grasping the abstractions Hiccup and Astrid had tried to explain to him.

This was how the day had been spent, frittered away in awkward conversations with a dragon and the more welcome ramblings of an elderly physician who recounted many tales of pointless injuries by virtue of man's stupidity. Eventually though even this caretaker grew tired, and had left them as night fell with the promise to return again later with the bed pan and another bowl of soup. Toothless dozed by Hiccup's side, in a light sleep that would be broken at the first opening of the door. As far as the winged reptile was concerned, this single chamber was his life, anything that entered the chamber concerned him, nothing outside could bother him. So long as they provided him with water and some meat each day and he could take short, terrifying breaks from Hiccup's side to relieve himself, the beast was content to act as a sentry for eternity.

"You'll be fine Hiccup…" Astrid murmured. She and Hiccup had taken up the subject of Hisham and his personality as Toothless had fallen asleep, free to discuss it among themselves without the interruptions of a beast trying to understand that which can never be truly understood. Hiccup's heart beat easily, but his mind was awash in tension and fear. It was an unnerving sensation, the feeling of being desired by something so foreign and in contrast to his own wishes. When Sinead had wanted him, he was at least willing to concede to her advances for he thought himself unloved. Now that he and Astrid had grown so close, the thought of being contemplated about, of being sought after despite his own convictions was disturbing, and left a strain upon his mind that no amount of deep breathing or attempts at clearing his head could fix.

"Maybe-maybe he just won't do anything. We're just staying until we get better…maybe not even give him the chance?"

"Ha…" Astrid gave a tired huff of laughter as she turned her head towards Hiccup, amused at the boy's fear and with a slight appreciation that he was finally experiencing what it was like to be wanted without being willing to reciprocate. "You're really scared aren't you?"

"Well-well yeah. He's here…he's got some power…you saw those kids by his side. They looked just like me. Gods only-I mean what he probably does…I don't-"

"Sshhh…" Astrid tried to quiet the boy and alleviate his fears, knowing it must have been trying for the boy but likewise understanding that it was no use for him to worry so much in the state he was in. "…if you don't want it you don't have to do it. I'll make sure of it."

"But-but maybe he could…maybe he wouldn't take no for an answ-"

"Hiccup…I. Will. Protect you. Alright?"

Hiccup smiled at her offer of protection, but still could not let the issue slide entirely. "But what if-why does he even…I mean why does he even think I'd be into that? Does he think it's something I'm just supposed to like just because? Do I look the kind of person that does that?"

Astrid was quiet for a moment as she looked deeply into Hiccup's eyes, knowing that what she was to say would not be easy but was the only option for the moment. After all, he was in no condition to sit up let alone really stop her, what was the worst that could happen? "Well…"

Hiccup was amazed she would even begin a sentence on the subject like that, and no matter what his shocked face displayed she continued. "…I mean-back on Berk, for a while at least we-well we used to think you were…maybe…you know?"

He looked at her in bewilderment for a moment, not sure what his reaction should have been. Rage? Disappointment? Embarrassment? This was not something that had ever been brought up to him, hinting that it was something that even his abusers were not even that comfortable speaking about. He was curious as to this once common attack upon his masculinity, and pressed for answers. "W-what? You…you thought I…why? What gave you that idea?"

"Well…I mean we were…I want to say twelve at that time. We really didn't even know what it was we were talking about, we just knew it was embarrassing. We were just talking about you one day-making jokes and everything and-and then Snotlout mentioned how weak you were and joked about how you were still always trying to impress me even though you were always failing. So we talked about that and joked about how you'd probably never grow up to be real manly looking…and Tuffnut-he was the one who brought it up. So we thought about it for a moment and decided that you probably were…well we thought you fit the profile of someone who would-"

"Astrid…"

"We were just stupid kids Hiccup! It's not like we thought about it… a lot. We just assumed-"

"How-did anyone ever think that maybe I was doing all the stuff I did because I _did_ like you? Why would I ever subject myself to all that shit if I wasn't?" Hiccup couldn't believe what he was hearing, that the person he had pursued for so long had for a long time thought he wasn't even of the persuasion that could have loved her.

"Because…well Snotlout just thought you were doing it because you _had _to. Because your father would want you even less if allowed yourself to do…_that_. You were overcompensating…you know?"

The boy stared at her dumbfounded, his fears of Hisham certainly temporarily assuaged but now filled with sadness and shame that he was thought of in this way. He'd never thought so, never doubted his convictions or his desires. Why did others have to think such things? Had he really been of such a nature, acted in ways that would make it the obvious conclusion? He wasn't sure to be enraged or ashamed.

"Great…" He started, his pride feeling as though it had been stomped on and flattened to the point that it would never get up again. "So all that time…everyone just thought I-_you_ thought I was-"

"Oh come on…we weren't _too_ serious about it Hiccup. It was just another joke…does this really upset you that much?" Astrid had genuine concern in her tone, feeling as though her words had done more to hurt the boy than she had thought was possible. She only wanted to help him now, to undo the damage she had inadvertently done. She let several moments pass as Hiccup worked up the proper words to speak. He was visibly irritated that he could do little in the wounded state he was in, being forced to lay still and absorb such information without the means to move anything but his head to signal his sadness.

"It's just-you don't get it Astrid."

"Get what?"

"I just…" He stalled a moment, regretting this subject had to be brought up but confessing to himself that it couldn't do anything to seriously hurt Astrid. It was healthy, but painful. "You don't know what it's like to have to go everyday being weak. Being insecure. You're just-you're just so perfect and always have been you didn't have to worry about not being appreciated. When-when you're me you try so hard to be strong and normal but you always get put down regardless." He looked to her to find patient and attentive eyes that were more than familiar with the pains he had suffered in childhood and partly by her hand. Astrid beckoned him on, intrigued by where he was going with this. "I just thought-I thought that even though I failed at everything else you thought I _genuinely_ liked you. But now…now I guess you just thought I was so weak that I was like that too. It's not exactly what you want the girl you love to think of you…"

Hiccup frowned as he looked away, relieved that such a thing was off his chest but fearful that Astrid might take offense to it. Had he been too accusatory? Taken too much offense to the things gone by? He had promised himself that he wouldn't let the past interfere with what he and Astrid had been since leaving Berk, but it sadly couldn't be avoided at this point.

"Hiccup…" Astrid took her right arm and touched the boy's chin and pulled him up so that his eyes were focused back on hers, sweet and nurturing and hoping to find peace between them. "We were young. We didn't know anything. If I knew what I knew about you and who you really were then I…I never would have even thought those things. Now I know Hiccup…and I'm happy that I know the truth. Alright?"

A small smile appeared on the corner of Hiccup's lips, one of gratitude and love for this one person in his life that could make any situation better with her mere presence. "Yeah…just-it's a little sad to hear is all."

"I know…" She leaned her head in as close as she could to him, intending to soothe by the virtue of presence alone. "But you don't have to worry; I know how much of a man you really are…" She let the hand that had lifted his chin up slide down, being careful not to touch his wound as she slithered down to his waist and beyond. She delicately placed her fingers over the bulge she found between his legs, not doing anything too intensive but allowing herself to feel the firmness that came to the area as blood performed its natural duty whenever any stimuli was present around a place so sensitive. Hiccup moaned with a playful irritation, too stuck to do anything but accept the welcome stimulus.

"You know I'm still not in shape for that right?"

"Yeah…" Astrid replied slowly, delighting in toying with her wounded partner. "But it's good to know that I've been proven wrong."

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

**Hello Peoples!**

**I apologize this chapter is rather short, but I lost a day of writing this week due to medical stuff coupled with work. Hope it is still up to the quality you expect despite this slow nature of this chapter. **_**Dhanb**_** is Arabic for sin, thought I'd throw a unique word in there since I wouldn't think Abulcasis would know the appropriate word in Norse. **

**Much thanks as always to the wonderful "Writer for the Tylwyth Teg" for her Beta work on this chapter and being a big help in me getting this out on time. **

**With that I leave you, hoping this rather short installment lives up to your standards. Whether or not it does, feel free to tell me. Hopefully next chapter will be up to par with my usual quality. That said, it's time to get started on another chapter, I'll see you next week.**

**-Mc.**


	30. Baby Steps

"Don't put the muzzle on the bastard yet! We want him to hear us!"

Eret, the son of many generations of Erets, had once known a great pride in giving order to men. For a time such a thing had been subdued as he toiled and labored in the name of others. Though his master was far away, he still cast a long shadow that controlled his conscious and drove him to action. Such a drive was what had gotten Eret where he was now, once more in his element of giving orders and having others listen. It such a rush, such a powerful feeling to be above all others present. It was a good thing so few people could experience this luxurious feeling, if more did, the grand egos of many would lead to nothing but destruction.

It had taken a few weeks, but what few men had survived the assault of Asger's ship had come back with a vengeance. They were fortunate enough to have washed upon an inhabited island, and after some ugly negotiating with the chief of the nearest village, they had managed to commandeer one of the village's fishing vessels for safe passage. The villagers had entrusted two men to watch over the vagabonds and make sure the boat was returned, but Eret killed them both in their sleep the first night they were at sea. They were liberated and upon the waves once more, unhindered and determined.

They had stopped back at the outpost where Asger had first been intending to set up a base of operations. When they asked for crewmen and offered adventure and glory in the pursuit of capturing dragons, they were pleasantly surprised with many men being exceedingly willing to escape a winter of boredom and isolation on the island in the name of proving their worth upon the waves.

During the entire time that they were recruiting and making adjustments to the fishing vessel so as prepare it for the arduous task of dragon trapping; one thing had struck Eret as peculiar. On several days during their work, he found that they continued to be watched by a single woman. She was of middle age but sound physical form and construction, muscular enough to be a threat but still classically feminine in physique and features. She was tall, with dark brown hair and eyes that appeared green, a color Eret considered exotic and attractive even if they were more prominent in his land than in others. It was not rare for Eret to see her in the distance, keeping a keen eye upon them and all that they did. Why she was so interested in their functions he did not understand, but he supposed she was just curious and being respectful of the courageous men that were preparing themselves for a hard winter on the sea.

So far, the interloper that had caused the great destruction of Asger's ship so many weeks ago had been seen only once, circling in the sky as the vessel had first departed from their base and gone forth in search of dragons once more. Eret was surprised that whoever this person was had managed to find them so quickly, and the man had a theory that one of the regular men of the island was secretly this destroyer of men and life. It only made sense. Whomever he was, Eret now knew how to best prepare for his attacks and how to drive off this person who would dare to interfere with his business. Now that he was in control again, with a ship and men to his command he refused to give up this life again. He was slowly crawling his way out of the utter servitude he had been placed in with the loss of his first boat, and he would be damned if he was going to lose this one as well.

"Come on, scream you bastard! Let him hear you!"

A Timberjack was usually not a dragon to be tested with or mocked. This rule could be disregarded though when such a beast was under restraints and was being hauled below deck as the daggers dipped in tranquilizer did their work, small pricks against the beast's skin let out a little blood but allowed the liquid relaxant to enter the beasts, calming them and allowing them to be stored away, imprisoned where they could be maintained until contact with another of Drago's ships could be made. The beast continued to roar, deafening Eret's ears but little to the man's chagrin. He would accept such agony if it meant one thing, to draw in their pursuer and defeat him. He would have vengeance for Asger, vengeance for all those lost in the first attack and vengeance in the name of Drago, that mysterious man so many horizons away to whom Eret owed everything. As much as he was still uneasy about what his life and become at times, he could not deny the instrumental role the mercy of this one man had had in restoring it to some manner of meaning when it had been stripped of all else.

They were a little under twenty men on a boat the length of an average sized hall. They left a wide wake behind them as the flat but efficient craft they had taken control of divided endless waves as it sailed towards more of the dark blue sea that surrounded them. The sails caught a strong enough wind that allowed them passage without the need of oars for the course of the day, a blessing they were content to use to the best effect. When night had fallen over the island, Eret had spent many hours by candlelight designing and implementing several modifications to the vessel that were designed to throw off the next attack. While they were making decent speed, Eret was holding back for the moment, intent on looking as vulnerable as possible.

The Timberjack's erratic movements began to die down as the tranquilizer worked its magic, and the screams towards the sky and its salvation lowered into mummers and coos that barely carried beyond the ocean waves. A calm came over the boat that did not soothe but instead instilled fear. Eret and the survivors were expecting something they knew all too well; the men they had conscripted had only vague notions and ideas of what calamity was waiting in the clouds to strike down at them. Eret looked to the sky, where he had once sought God he now looked for a demon that would be all too eager to interrupt their work.

"Sir, should men make for stations?" The German who clung to Eret's friendship for the sake of survival had come up behind him, requesting orders and guidance in his life. Eret took a moment to savor the glorious feeling of being looked up to and respected before seeking the blue eyes of the lowly man to give the orders.

"Yes, make ready and eyes on the sky! He'll be here soon enough!"

A smile broke upon the man's thin, flat face that had been wrinkled by many years at sea before he turned to address the rest of the crew.

"Eyes on sky! Eyes on sky!"

"Eyes on sky!"

"Eyes on sky!"

The order resounded from man to man, each one repeating it several times as the boat was caught in the chorus of order and discipline that Eret was happy to see instilled in them. It was the first step in creating a cohesive and effective crew, one capable of withstanding the scourges of man and sea. The clouds above were mostly of an innocent, white complexion with a few grey bottoms spread throughout. The sun could not break through much of it, and the cold wind that came from the North bit at their exposed skin, no matter how much seal skin and fur they threw over themselves. It was a gloomy day for gloomy souls to go about their gloomy business, and such were the lives that looked to the clouds with the intent to find a small draconic figure dancing its way through the amorphous sky.

The silence pervaded for a short while, nothing but the sounds of the water being parted by the slow moving vessel striking through the silence. It was more so the water breaking against the boat then the vessel dividing the sea, for they moved at a lethargic pace, but for a reason. It was one of the many extra features Eret had devised to aid in their protection. Anxious, Eret looked to the masts and found they were still catching the right wind. He allowed himself a smug smile, confident in his adjustments and that they would serve him well. He knew it was an unwise idea to rely on a plan going exactly as it was intended to, but he likewise had confidence in the improvisational skills of well born sailors of the North.

"Eyes on Sky!"

"Target!"

The call drew the attention of all and led their eyes towards the clouds, where a dark black dot was quickly manifesting into a distinguishable dragon with four wings, mounted by a strange creature that was human in form but like a devil in function. They had drawn him out of the clouds at last. Eret was surprised as to why he had taken so long in coming. He supposed that the beast and the beast it rode upon had not been stalking them in the clouds as Eret had suspected, but had only just found them. A shame, they had risked the dragon injuring any one of them for nothing in making it plea for help. No matter, so long as battle was at hand they were getting the same thing that they desired, an opportunity at vengeance.

"Crossbows!" Eret yelled, giving the order to prepare a number of different weapons. A few were larger ballistae that could fire both net and bolt, and the four of them that lined the perimeter of the boat divided themselves accordingly in pairs of two, each aiming high and tracking the shadow that rapidly approached them. A few more men carried smaller variants of the weapon and lifted them to their shoulders, prepared to loose when they could get a clear shot. Two more larger ballistae were hidden, one of Eret's traps that he was hoping to unleash when he gave the signal. He drew his long, triangular knife and held a firm grip on it, looking to the approaching object with anticipation as blood pulsed faster and faster in his veins. He could hear the beat of his heart in his ears, every nerve aware of the tiniest sensations around him as the thrill of impending battle tingled his skin.

The dragon closed in, an X was formed of the creature's wings that caught the wind and rode the waves of air towards the vessel, maintaining a steady and fast pace that it did not look willing to break. All the better for Eret. He waited another moment until every circumstance was as it had to be, when the dragon's course was irreversible and the beast was just coming to within the arc of the ranged weapons.

"Release the boulders!" Eret called, waving his knife in the air. Two men at either side of the back of the boat drew their own knives and cut two ropes that were attached firmly to the craft. One of Eret's traps was a set of two large boulders that acted as a kind of anchor when thrown overboard, slowing the vessel down when it could have been going much faster. He'd ordered them deployed when they had gone after the Timberjack and found they were serving their purpose. As the large rocks were cut away and left to drift towards the bottom of the icy depths, the boat was freed of a great weight and lunged forward as it embraced the full force of the wind in its sail. Each man including Eret stumbled a few paces as the vessel was caught with such a burst of energy, a powerful gust helping them as they quickly left a wide wake. The dragon that came for them tried to stop as it suddenly found its target moving, but was thwarted by its own momentum and could not stop quickly enough.

"Take it down!" Eret yelled as ballistae and smaller crossbows took aim to their rear as the beast unleashed its fire upon the sea, sending up a thick cloud of steam as it had once done in Eret's first battle. Nets and bolts were released from their stresses and sent towards the creature, but were burned away as another column of fire rose from the steam. The cloud of vapor was quickly dispersed with powerful gusts from the creature's mighty wings as the beast rose up to the air once more, volleys of crossbow bolts chasing after it as it raced towards the clouds.

"Reload but hold till it comes around!" Eret shouted, veins thick with adrenaline. They were only one quick blast of flame away from a watery grave; there was no shore to swim to this time. When the waters expanded in every direction it was a fight to the death, there were no second chances, no opportunities for another go at victory when ship and soul fell beneath the welcoming embrace of the teal depths. The dragon and its rider stopped for a moment as they found themselves above the range of all weapons before diving back down at great speed again, just as Eret was hoping.

"Drive it forward!" He called, racing towards the stern along with the rest of his men that were not given station at one of the ballistae. Eret had another trap ready, and his target was approaching it as the four wings flattened into two as the beast eyed the boat again. Eret could see the determination the dragon had in its movement, its rider as confident as could be discerned from the blank, stoic façade of the large mask the handler wore. Whoever it was that had come to tame this beast by some miracle of ingenuity, they were no doubt of the heart and mind that would not give up no matter what life threw at them. Eret admired such a principle, even if it meant a greater challenge to his profession. He waited again for the dragon to be within the right range before raising his knife and giving the next order to men that were already in position.

"Release!"

Hidden within the roof that comprised the crew quarters, Eret had constructed two more rudimentary ballistae, each equipped with a coiled up net. Two men pulled on levers that had been holding a taught rope since they had encountered the wayward Timberjack. Two nets that were once heavily compacted flew open and collided with the surprised dragon, enveloping the creature in their massive maw and sending it back towards the sea as it struggled within the rope. The roars of the startled creature brought a smile to Eret's face as he considered a victory to be close at hand.

"At it lads! Now's your chance!" Eret called as the men rallied to the side of the boat, eager to get their shots off and score a chance at victory and glory, for there was much to be had in slaying such a large beast, rendered as formidable as it was by the guidance of the enigmatic figure upon its back. Eret raced forward with them, eager to see what damage there was to be done. He and the other men however found that while their trap had momentarily worked, the nets were quickly destroyed with the dragon's fire and the assistance of a knife on the part of the rider. They seemed to work in tandem, minds intertwined by forces Eret could not see nor did he desire to understand. The fours wings threw off the ropes and began to beat upward so as to find refuge in the clouds.

"Now! Now! Shoot it now!" Eret nearly broke his voice in the command as every weapon targeted and loosed upon creature. Some simply missed their marks. Other nets and bolts were incinerated by another burst of flame that was fortunately beyond its range to harm the boat. Single volleys of shot fell away into a few individual bolts flying towards the hovering beast every other moment. Such random strikes that all came so close but not enough to injure the creature persisted for several tense moments as Eret waited, anticipating a burst of fire or another dive. Instead, the dragon began to fly upwards and away, heading back towards the safety of the clouds. As it withdrew from beyond the range of even the ballistae, the tense air of combat that comes with battle lingered over the boat for a moment. There was a need for excitement, but Eret kept a stern composure as an example to the rest of his men to not let their guard down just yet for fear of another attack when they did so.

Such an attack however never came, no creature materialized out of the clouds for a time that seemed to drag on for hours. No target for the crossbows to track, no sudden flashes across the sky as the sun set and the clouds obstructed whatever moonlight might have shown upon the dark waters. Men gradually abandoned their states of alert and fixation upon the heavens and attended to other matters of ship maintenance as the conditions of wind and an oncoming storm made another attack unlikely. Eret was the last to have his eyes abandon his search of the clouds and return to normal station, his legs weak as the thrill of battle and the proximity it had brought him to a watery grave passed. Gradually he spat orders to check on their captured dragon and to see that it was properly secured for when it woke up, and saw that counts were made of available ammunition and other amenities.

Even though he had been denied a clean kill and retribution for that which he had lost, Eret couldn't help but smile at the outcome of this skirmish. Granted there was no blood spilt, no clear victory and vengeance taken, but Eret still stood upon his own boat, with his own men under his control and his own life still fit to live. They had at least found that it was possible to stand against this monster that was their greatest threat in this already dangerous profession, that survival was possible in this unforgiving world that was the barren wastes of the Northern seas. Life could go on as it was supposed to, even if battle made it more difficult than it had to be. It wasn't defeat, but it wasn't a victory. But whatever it was, it was a start.

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

_::In conclusion, Astrid is making much better progress than Hiccup but he is likewise doing very well. Constant rest and the care of Abulcasis has left him with an excellent prognosis, but an exact amount of time until he is totally recovered is still to be determined and should not be rushed under any circumstance.::_

Toothless sat up with pride as his ever sophisticated and distinguished voice carried across the ethereal threads of the mind into the head of Al-Wahdid, who stood before the dragon with a sense of true wonder and appreciation for this unique opportunity to hear such a voice within his head. The man whose vocation lay forever in war did his best to show such a thing, and was dressed as a man fit to rival the great conquerors of antiquity. He even wore a steel helmet with nose guard, a heavy and obnoxious piece of armor normally saved to be worn on the field of battle. His brown neck stuck out from a chainmail shirt that showed little in signs of battle wear, a more ornamental piece if anything. Pants of hard leather with studs on the front were the only thing about him that seemed even remotely tested by life, and this was more so the agonies of being on the march than anything. Still, there was an aura of success about him, the kind that comes to commanders who led from behind but could still eek out a victory when needed.

Al-Wahdid and the advance guard of the army had arrived in Cordoba late the night before, taking two weeks to trot with horses what Astrid had flown in the course of a day with an injured leg. The rest of the force that mostly comprised the infantry was expected to arrive within another week, just after the new year had passed. The general had insisted on seeing the boy, dragon, and girl that had been saved immediately upon his arrival, but was forced to wait until they awoke later in the day. Abulcasis further prolonged the general's wait by insisting on performing his usual routines of using the bed pan, seeing food prepared and brought to them and going about the necessary tasks of recuperating his patients. Astrid's infection had gradually subsided after a week's time and her strength had quickly come back shortly after. Hiccup's wound was healing at a slower pace but had still not become infected thanks to Abulcasis' astute care. The flesh that had once been black, blue and red was beginning to recede back to its naturally pale hue, small hairs were beginning to grow out of the follicles that had been burned by Toothless' fire. It was beginning to itch horribly as the body recovered from such an injury, but as the flesh began to tighten and the muscles recovered, Hiccup found that he could move his arms enough to relieve this persistent annoyance.

Al-Wahdid had stepped in when the sun had reached its zenith, joined by many of his officers that led to a heavily crowded room, much to Abulcasis' irritation as he tried to administer a sweet jelly he swore would help keep his patients warm as the cold of Winter struck with as much ferocity as it could in this Southern latitude. The officers demonstrated a visible apprehension towards being in the same room with the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself that only a few weeks ago had kidnapped their commander off his horse. But Al-Wahdid showed no manner of fear or grudge when around the creature that spoke within the man's mind, instead rather enjoying the calm voice that manifested itself within the darkness of the isolated brain. Using the dragon as an intermediary, the Moorish general spoke in the twisting words of his language, all manner of thought being the same to Toothless no matter the words a man spoke.

Astrid and Hiccup were better dressed now than they had been upon their first awakening. Astrid now wore a light brown shirt of linen over her chest to help keep warm as well as to provide some modesty in the presence of the frequent guests. The boy beside her was given a pair of loose pants to better warm him and provide modesty, even if Abulcasis did complain that this concession in the name of comfort made relieving the boy's bodily functions all the more difficult. Being unable to move his body much proved a serious hindrance to such matters, and the embarrassing things Hiccup had to do so as to account for the unstoppable processes of the body were an experience he longed never to repeat.

_::Hiccup, the general states that he has recovered the sword that was given to you that was lost after your injury, it will be brought here later. He has likewise requested a similar one be made for Astrid and it shall be paid for by his own expense. He is glad to hear you are recovering though, and extends his thanks for providing the opportunity for his army to see battle. Most of his men are content now thanks to you.::_

Hiccup could see the smile on Astrid's face at hearing of a nice weapon being especially in her honor, but took interest in a single word that Toothless had spoken, and with his eyes begged the dragon to translate for him again.

"Most? Are some not satisfied with what they are given?" He meant the question almost as half a joke, as if to insult those that weren't satisfied with what little taste of blood they had received. But as Toothless sent the question to the general, the man of war's expression grew somber and frustrated, reminded of dire circumstances unknown to the bedridden. Hiccup and Astrid looked on in curiosity as the officers likewise eyed each other as Al-Wahdid relayed the question to them in Arabic. It appeared to be an unseen cause of contention that shook the foundations of the strong façade of martial glory that their armor and weapons tried to demonstrate, causing looks of fear and worry to crack their otherwise determined demeanor.

"Berbers…Allah curse the mongrels…" Abulcasis spoke up as he went about putting away the spoon and jar of jelly he had been feeding his patients with. Vikings, dragon and Moors who could not understand the language of their compatriot in blood looked to the aged physician out of both respect and a desire for elaboration. The old man stood up as straight as he could and gave a long sigh, lamenting a sequence of events that had made the last several years more stressful than they needed to have been on his old and weary soul.

"Curse his name, Sulayman. He has army of Berbers, people without civilization who were called to fight for Al-Mansur at one time. He see Hisham as weak-not that he is not…want control of city and land. Al-Wahdid, his troops those loyal to Hisham and mercenaries from Slav countries loyal too. Sulayman had control of city and banish Hisham two year ago, but this only for short time until Al-Wahdid and his soldiers push him out and bring Hisham back. Caliphate in turmoil. He still out there though, he and Berber scum waiting for time to strike." Abulcasis grumbled as he wiped off the spoon he had fed both Vikings with, furious at the chaos that his life was forced to endure in its final years, being thrust into a tumult unfitting for a man of his age and intellect.

Toothless took great interest in these details and spoke with Al-Wahdid a moment, asking for verification as to what the physician said, knowing that the monolingual commander was not sure of details asides from recognizing the name of the caliph and rival. The officers stood at attention, not intending to show more fear than they already had and putting on a respectable display of bravery and discipline despite the chaotic truth of present events hanging over them. The general spoke with a desire to make himself look as confident and in control as possible, but even the barrier of languages could not conceal from Hiccup or Astrid that the man was visibly worried. Toothless' words only more properly conveyed such a tone as they reached the minds of the bedridden Vikings.

_::Al-Wahdid does confirm that there is a rival army in the field that threatens his own and the city, and that such a war has been in place for the last two years. He says that the main reason his army was on campaign was in looking for this Sulayman and his army so as to defeat him, and his failure in finding this army was part of the reason for aiding you, Hiccup, in liberating Astrid so as to maintain the morale of his men. He is withdrawing his army back to Cordoba so as to protect it, fearing that wherever the army of Sulayman is, it is bound to approach during the winter in order to secure food for the season as well as to avoid doing battle during the hot summer.::_

"Oh…" Hiccup mumbled, suddenly fearful of the world beyond these thick, golden walls that was filled with more war and contest than he had been aware of. He looked to Astrid for comfort, but found her likewise worried. They both understood that there was a contest of strength and ideals that was transpiring between the free Spaniards and these Moorish conquerors, but this information changed the dynamic decisively, coloring this faction as human, prone to failure and the many vices of politics. Astrid was fascinated by the information but had other things on her mind, and found the somber mood as created by the mention of civil war a perfect opportunity to change the subject to something else.

"Toothless…could you ask Al-Wahdid about any prisoners they took when they attacked the castle? Any survivors?"

_::Of course…::_ The dragon inquired the same as he was asked to the Moorish general, who was visibly relieved to not have to focus on the threat of war and drawn to memories of a battle gone by. He thought for a moment, digging in his recollection for vivid memories that all fused together in those few hectic days. He then spoke at length, drawing smiles from the commanders of the nature that made Astrid nervous, filled with bloodlust and pride in the necessary sins of war. Toothless' eyes showed a peculiar interest in the details he was told, fascinated in the many actions men are driven to in the name of victory. He turned to the bedridden Vikings with a solemn expression, knowing exactly why Astrid had asked the question she had.

_::He says that as morning broke and the castle was abandoned that there were indeed around one hundred and fifty prisoners. Most of these were not men of arms but rather the laity necessary for the upkeep of the fortress. Some of the more worthy ones were taken as slaves, those too old to march, killed. Then he says there were about two dozen or so men of noble birth. Most were kept for ransom as apparently the families of such sons are willing to pay good coin to have their progeny kept alive and returned afterwards. One however said that no such family existed and therefore no payment would be coming. Al-Wahdid then gave an offer to the man that he may come back to Cordoba as a member of the army, but he refused this offer. He stated that he had already been forced to spill the blood of his "brothers in faith" before and refused to do so again. He then attempted to spit at the face of Al-Wahdid, but was stopped. After this mark of disrespect he was beheaded as is befitting such insults. I believe he is referring to-::_

"Yes…yes he is." Astrid interjected abruptly, exasperated at what she heard as a wave of anger quickly began to grow in her core and erupt into a blaze that surged across every nerve on their way to her head. On the one hand she considered it appropriate, knowing what things she had learned from Hidalgo in their short time together, but this was no salve upon a wound of the soul. She tried to fight back the moisture that was attempting to cloud her vision, but was forced to cover her eyes with a palm as visions of what had befallen her temporary friend materialized through her mind.

Hiccup could only look upon Astrid with a quiet sympathy, knowing what must have been going on in her head. In need of things to talk about over the last few weeks as they lay motionless, she had related of what had transpired during her brief time in the hold of the Spanish. While she held nothing but contempt for the rest of them and had some very colorful words about Sir Felix, there was one individual about which she had good things to say. Hiccup was quite impressed with what he heard of this Hidalgo character. His devotions to ideals, to honor and principle in the face of overwhelming odds was emblematic of a true warrior ethos, one different than the one of Hiccup's land of birth where wild abandon and merciless slaughter was the norm. Astrid spoke highly of him, praising his persona and holding a great respect for everything he had gone through. His ending seemed to be exactly the thing such a man would have wanted for himself, even if it was painful for those that cared about him to hear about.

Abulcasis noticed a marked change in Astrid's demeanor, an aura of anger and determination growing within her. His pause to look at her drew the attention of Al-Wahdid and the other officers, who noticed how the girl seemed to be staring down the commander with hate and vitriol as she took the hand away from her moist eyes, fighting down sobs that leaped from the bottom of her stomach. Such a stare persisted for a few moments before Astrid's body erupted into a fury of motion. She quickly threw her legs over the side of the bead as she often did when having to urinate, but pressed on. Her body leant forward, and she landed on unsteady legs, shocking both Hiccup and Abulcasis as she tried to right herself while at the same time not putting too much pressure on her right leg. Abulcasis quickly made to her side, eyes frantic as the girl took her first steps that were quick to put her off balance.

"Idiot! What you doing? Not ready to be out of bed!" He was firm in his statement, but Astrid proved herself just as resolute with an injured leg as she was at the apex of her health. She leant into the physician's body a moment to regain her balance and composure but then carried on, unconcerned with any protest levied against her.

_::Astrid? What are you doing? Is there any need to be walking?::_

Toothless' words went unheard in the girl's mind as she pushed Abulcasis aside, the man's old and weathered hands of no use in trying to hold her back as she stumbled forward, grunting as the weight of her body upon the bad leg sent shocks up her spine but carrying on regardless. The officers were not sure what to do at the sudden sight, forbidden by the barrier of language to comprehend what was happening or what had been said to upset this girl that they had sacrificed many men in liberating. A few looked amused, some nervous, others ambivalent, feeling nothing of consequence could come of this.

"Bastards…" She grumbled as she pushed Abulcasis aside, her expression as filled with rage as it could be when battling the excruciating pain of her injured leg. Al-Wahdid stood still, unsure of what to do when presented with an enraged Viking girl. She lumbered forward, her physician standing aside and letting come what may. Hiccup and Toothless only watched with a nervous but content expectation, knowing all too well what she could be like in one of these instances. She positioned herself in front of the Moorish commander, wincing a moment as she balanced herself before looking into Al-Wahdid's dark eyes, put through more stresses than the man was born to handle and not needing any more.

"That man was Hidalgo…he was a good man. And you butchered him…like an animal!" She growled this last word at the Moor before spitting in his eye, a shock that left the officers too stunned to retaliate for the first moment, so overcome with surprise that a sick girl would dare do something so egregious to a man of the sword. Then again, these men did not truly know the creature that was Astrid Hofferson. "I'll finish what he started, you deserve it." Her aggression came to a sudden halt at this point, expelling all her rage in completing the action of defiance that her only friend in a dark time would have wanted to do. She did not care if he was a man with a thousand or ten thousand or a hundred thousand spears at his disposal; she stood on the side of her friends and defended their honor regardless of life and death. "Bastard…"

A few officers let their hands move to the hilts of their scimitars, but a low growl by Toothless and a display of his teeth was enough to dissuade them all from moving the steel within the scabbards. In silence, Astrid turned on her heels and limbered back to bed, grunting at the pain in her leg and the coldness of the floor on her feet. The officers looked to one another with a stymied anger, feeling that they should avenge the insult to their commander but being in no position to do so. They all looked to Al-Wahdid for guidance, the general wiping the sputum from the corner of his eyes where it had landed and showing an uneasy composure at the attack on his person, this total abandon of gratitude for all he had done to see to the girl's safety. Granted he had little choice in the matter in the first place, but he was taken aback at this sudden lack of respect considering what his men had gone through.

_::She is frustrated that you have killed a man of importance to her, and wishes you had not. This is the reason of her spit being on your face. There is nothing that can be done about it now sadly, so I would accept such an insult and move on if I were you. And if you attempt to hurt either of them, I shall rip off your head and bathe in your blood.::_

Toothless' statement was delivered with as much decorum and formality as the beast could display, showing no real aggression towards the men but making his stance on the matter clear. Al-Wahdid demonstrated a deep swallow at hearing the deep, calm voice dissipate in his mind as the threat was made clear. He stood resolute for a moment as Astrid crawled back into bed, Abulcasis pestering her as he begged to look at the girl's leg and make her comfortable after her remarkable walk. Hiccup and the ebony dragon stared the Moors down from their relaxed positions, more confident in their weak and exposed states than the men in chainmail with swords could ever hope to be. The general spoke, slowly and with a cautious mouth that Toothless was still happy to translate.

_::He shall leave us now, for he must see that his men are behaving. He may visit us again, but entrusts us to the care of the caliph. He says that we are the problem of Hisham, not him. Also something about Abulcasis being a pathetic old man, but I am not familiar with the obscenities surrounding the statement to better elaborate.::_

Astrid managed a small grin as the commander turned to leave, his officers following behind him as they funneled out the door one by one, armor slowly clinking together as they carried their pride between their legs. As the wooden frame was secured and silence returned to the room, Abulcasis spoke again as Astrid lay on her back, the physician finding that she had done nothing to truly upset her wound.

"I should check, which one has balls again?" He laughed as the dirty joke drew a smile to both Viking's lips. He stood up and looked to the door, grumbling about the failings of the general in both life and in his profession. Astrid felt that Hiccup had found her hand on the bed sheets and clasped her fingers as a sign of support, one she appreciated as her heart began to return to a normal rhythm after the stresses of walking for the first time in weeks and spitting in the face of a man who had helped rescue her.

"That was-that was incredible." Hiccup muttered, finding no other words could best describe what he had beheld. Astrid turned her head to him with appreciation, more confident in herself than she had been for the last few weeks of laying in a solitary place, as helpless as a child.

"Thank you, I was always proud of my spitting abilities." She joked, but it did not draw a smile from Hiccup, not because of any failing in humor but because the boy saw something more in what she had done, something more profound.

"No-no I mean you walked. You were walking Astrid. If you-if you were walking then I-then I've got to be able to do so at some point right?"

"Huh…" Astrid mulled for a moment, considering that what she had paled in comparison to what she was doing when she had done so. Her teeth showed as she grinned with glee at such a realization, hoping for the future when she and her lover were finally free from the confines of a bed and were content to visit it when they pleased, not when they were forced. "Probably…just one step at a time I guess."

"Haha…" Hiccup huffed finding that he could gently laugh a little each day without upsetting his wound, a good sign as to his recovery. Abulcasis likewise smiled at the good humor of the situation as he went to the table by the door, seeking the salve he had been putting on Hiccup's wound since the start. The thick white paste did wonders; Hiccup could not deny that his injury was healing very well thanks to the help of the Moor. He was a respectable man, one of only few that had ever entered this chamber.

"He's a good guy." He mumbled as the physician battled with a poorly laid stack of supplies that threatened to come undone at the slightest provocation. Astrid remained silent a moment before responding.

"It's weird I-Hidalgo told me about these people, about this city. He-Abulcasis is alright but maybe…maybe Hidalgo was right. I mean killing prisoners and…well he _did_ tell me about Hisham since he was here before. I don't know Hiccup…I don't like this place."

Her whisper could carry little over the clattering of a urine basin-mercifully not filled with anything at the moment- but was just loud enough to reach Hiccup's ear. The boy looked to her with sympathy but couldn't help but fight back, refusing to see more evil in this scenario than he already knew to exist. "Well-well maybe but Astrid…Astrid look we've got no other option right now. As soon as we're better we can leave whenever we want, but are you really going to refuse help just because of what one person said? Yeah they're not the best, but is anybody?"

This stopped Astrid's argument before she could progress any further, leaving her with an open jaw that revealed a brain within that was frantically looking for a good response. She could only muster so much of one. "I know but-I don't know Hiccup. There's something about them I just don't trust. I mean don't tell me you're comfortable around-"

Her speech was broken with the opening of the door, through which Hisham materialized, draped in illustrious white robes but without any younger boys by his side. Abulcasis shuffled around to see who had entered, and gave a bow to the caliph more so out of habit than actual respect. He walked with a graceful air, displaying as much confidence in himself as could be done by a man without any reason to present himself as such. His garments swung loosely upon his body, delicate and comfortable clothes that could only be worn by those that never had to work their bodies or their minds.

"Majesty…come to see patients yes?"

"Yes my friend, the care of such a gallant boy is an important priority. And the girl he loves as well, she too is important." The last sentence came off as forced, uttered for the sake of fairness rather than genuine concern as the caliph entered the room, earning a suspicious stare from Toothless. The dragon had become wary of the caliph ever since the day where Hiccup and Astrid had delicately tried to explain some odd idiosyncrasy of humanity to him. The dragon still did not understand it and had given up trying to do so, preferring to focus on the fact that the man responsible for taking his wounded humans in was of this peculiar persuasion. So far this odd man had done nothing overtly offensive or dangerous towards Hiccup, but the dragon felt that the potential for great harm hid beneath the man's surface, looking out to the world beyond and waiting to be unleashed when capable.

"Yes, she important too majesty. I help both equally, boy and girl…way it supposed to be…" Abulcasis grumbled to himself an insult that the caliph did not hear, the man of luxury following the physician as the old man brought the salve over to the bed. Hiccup gripped his sheet and pulled it down instinctively, taking pride in the fact that he could manage such a simple feat as he gained more and more control over his body with each passing day, each passing sunset marking a day of progress that could only lead to a full recovery. He felt less confident in himself though as he saw Hisham's dark eyes focus upon him, disregarding the pink skin of where his wound was healing and taking in his whole form, however weak it was. It made him feel small, objectified at his weakest. Was it because he was effeminate looking in his state? He knew he wasn't exactly as much a pillar of masculinity as the culture he had left behind, was it perhaps being in so vulnerable a position? He certainly felt vulnerable, and every time he managed to glance at Hisham made him feel all the more so.

"Uh…hey there Hisham…how's life?"

"Ah yes fine Hiccup. I hope you are well? Abulcasis is taking care of you well?" He smiled, conveying a sentiment of concern that did not seem wholly genuine but was convincing enough for any person not familiar with the man's inner workings.

"Oh…you know…just great. Healing well…can't wait till I can walk again."

"Mmh…yes I'm sure you will be very happy to walk again. I can show you the rest of the palace and the city, it is all so beautiful." Hisham was quickly drawn into any multitude of futures that resided in his head; whatever they were Hiccup did not want to even contemplate. Instead he tightened his grip on Astrid's hand and raised it up from the sheets, hoping to make a statement with the presence of the interlocked digits.

"Yeah-yeah me and Astrid -who I love so, _so_ much-are really looking forward to checking out the city. Us and our fire breathing dragon, right Toothless?"

_::Just say the word and I shall kill him, it would spare you this dance of rhetoric…::_ The dragon only huffed from his rest, enough for Hiccup to verify what he said to the caliph. Hisham allowed this caveat with his posture, but within his eyes there was an irritation to the words he responded to, a frustration of the self for lying when intention-whether nurturing or malevolent-seemed so right to the person.

"Yes. Yes you and Astrid will see the city. You will see all that it has to offer and I think you will very much enjoy your stay. I hope you don't miss out on a thing."

"Oh no…no I'm sure we won't pass up on anything we're interested in. That's the key there…being interested…" Hiccup mumbled as Abulcasis took a thick glob of the salve within his fingers and began rubbing it across the boy's chest, splitting his fingers in pairs of two as he rubbed it on both sides of the gash that was slowly forming into a long and impressive scar. The physician's hands were cold and bony, but they held more care or concern than any smile of Hisham's ever could.

"Yes, and when there are plenty of new things to explore there is much to be interested in…" Hisham stepped forward, hardly making a sound as his feet seemed to glide across the floor beneath his robes. Toothless kept an eye fixed upon him, curious as to what the close proximity would create. Astrid likewise refused to let her gaze fall away from the caliph, knowing just how uncomfortable he made Hiccup. She had a feeling that being reminded of the presence of the man would win Hiccup over to her side about being skeptical of this place, but at the same time did not want to see him get hurt. Just a little exposure to harm was all it would take, looking evil the face but not close enough to feel its breath.

"It is a beautiful city. It has been through much but we are resilient. Others try to control us, try to impose themselves. We fight back though…we are strong. None shall overcome us." Hisham moved a hand to stop Abulcasis' moving arm, the physician's fingers freshly dipped into the vessel of salve. "Please, let me help my guests, it is the duty of a host." The Caliph took his middle and index finger and closed them together, taking the salve off of Abulcasis' fingers and moving his hand towards Hiccup, his face as soft as it could be to feign a true concern for the boy's injury. "What kind of man could I call myself if I did not try to help such a remarkable young man?"

"You could call yourself a better one if you tried to help a remarkable young girl..." Astrid quipped, not that it showed any effect on the Caliph. Instead he spread his two fingers as Abulcasis had done in pairs and slowly pushed the crème into the boy's skin, rubbing up and down as he spread the substance further and further towards the wound's zenith at the boy's left shoulder. His fingers were thicker and warmer than those of Abulcasis were, but seemed so hollow, so fake in how they tried to be caring and empathetic. He never stopped looking at Hiccup's face, absorbing every feature, every curve, every freckle and patch of white in between. He drew his fingers down, the digits sliding over the salve that provided however thin a barrier between the Caliph and the wounded Viking. Hiccup wasn't sure if he should close his eyes or keep staring at Hisham, concerned either might be seen as a sign of enjoyment. The Caliph was such a strange person, his beard was old but was as thick as that of a young man, the hair upon his head of a likewise construction. He seemed so young at heart that his body was trying to mimic such sentiment, trying to capture the vitality and charisma of years gone by where he might have demonstrated himself a proper man were it not for his circumstances.

"Please Astrid…you were not the one that risked life and limb to save another. You were not the boy of so strong a heart that he would risk himself to save another. They are a rare breed what you have Astrid…." Hisham let his words fall away for a moment as he drew his fingers down lower, tracing the wound down towards Hiccup's right abdomen where it had started and was at its deepest and more sensitive. "The young are such a fascinating assortment…so filled with wonder and confusion about all the matters of life. I remember such times…oh the enjoyment. To have a world ahead of you and finding out who you are as a person, it is so exciting. So much to explore, so much responsibility placed upon you. You are a girl, you would not understand…"

Hiccup felt his pulse racing faster than it already was as he caught Astrid's expression out of the corner of his eye, so filled with rage that he was worried she'd spit at two men in one day. The Caliph spoke again before she could even utter a word, not concerned with whatever she thought and instead lost in his own world and the ideals held within.

"To be a young man is so different. There are expectations; callings that you cannot ignore no matter how much you try to fight them. To be driven by such strong passions, such lofty ideas that come to your head, they shoulder such a burden. So fragile, so delicate and put through so much…" His fingers drew lower, coming to the end of the wound as he increased the pressure, strong emotions surging through his body. "It is hard to be a young man, life bearing down upon you…nowhere else to go…such a beautiful form cursed to undergo such hardships…" As he reached the end of his wound, Hisham drew his fingers away, ignoring the worrisome expression of Hiccup and the death stare of a maligned Astrid as he walked away, wiping the rest of the salve on his robes as his shoulders seemed to shudder, his body so overcome with the wild, powerful delusions of humanity that were at the forefront of his mind. Abulcasis scowled at his ruler as the caliph's back was turned, not that it did anything.

Hisham turned back to the three on the bed, ignoring the perplexed dragon in the corner that was trying to make sense of the Caliph's odd language. "It has been good to see you Hiccup, I hope you feel better. I will check on you again tomorrow, good yes?"

"Uh…"

"Indeed. Feel better my friend; there is a whole world to discover out there." He walked to the door, suddenly seeming stressed and in need of some manner of high that came from being in proximity to certain people, and as he exited to the other side of the wooden portal Hiccup could only assume that Hisham was seeking people like this wounded Viking to fulfill that desire. The boy shuddered at the thought and tried to dispel any images from his head, as scared of what they conveyed as much as what his reaction might have been. Abulcasis groveled as he usually did as he took more of the salve and began applying it to Hiccup again, cursing any number of things, thoughts and people that all seemed tied to a general hatred of the Caliph. "Will get another infection…by Allah he never learns…"

"Well…still feeling happy about being here Hiccup?"

The boy took a long sigh, another privilege of his healing chest that helped calm his racing heart. "I-I uh…that was uncomfortable. I'm…_very _ uncomfortable."

_::Say the word and he is dead…::_

"No Toothless not-not yet at least. Gods that was weird I-I don't get it…" Hiccup's grip on Astrid's fingers loosened as he began to fear, his mental resistance proving little to stop notions of what was wanted from him metastasizing within his imagination.

"Hiccup…" Astrid held fast to his fingers, refusing to let go and reminding her lover that she was there to support him. "See what I mean? We can only trust so many people here…it's not safe."

Hiccup looked to the door, the gate through which so many people of both innocent and malevolent character passed through each day. At first he had been so grateful for the all the help he and Astrid had received, but now he was beginning to see exactly the sort of thing Astrid had been warned about. Behind every smile there was another motive, every gesture of good will came with an expectation of something in return. It was not a charity of love, but of desire, a support in the name of reward in this world rather than the next.

"Alright…when we're ready we'll leave. But we should take advantage of this place while we can. So long as we can keep to ourselves and not antagonize anyone else-that means no more spitting-we can make the most of this. What do you say?"

Astrid pondered the question a moment, considering all the facts and pairing them against her desires for a warm bed, good food, and another stable place to call home in the dead of winter. Begrudgingly she opened her lips to speak, conceding where better judgment told her not to in the name of luxury.

"Fine…but it's your ass on the line."

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

**Hello Peoples!**

**Came down to the wire again but here we are, chapter as usual. Managed to get it to a length I deem suitable this time and am very satisfied with the end result, I hope you are as well. Our characters are making progress in a variety of ways this installment, all in the name of improvement as we move forward in this epic tale.**

**I hope you liked this chapter, and if so reviews etc. are always appreciated. Time for me to get started on the next chapter, so I'll see you here same time next week. Until then happy life.**

**-Mc.**


	31. Distant Early Warning

_An ill wind comes arising_  
_Across the cities of the plain_  
_There's no swimming in the heavy water_  
_No singing in the acid rain_  
_Red alert_  
_Red alert_

_It's so hard to stay together_  
_Passing through revolving doors_  
_We need someone to talk to_  
_And someone to sweep the floors_  
_Incomplete_  
_Incomplete_

_The world weighs on my shoulders_  
_But what am I to do?_  
_You sometimes drive me crazy_  
_But I worry about you_  
_I know it makes no difference_  
_To what you're going through_  
_But I see the tip of the iceberg_  
_And I worry about you_

_Distant Early Warning-Rush_

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

The world was grey. Life looked frozen in time, like an image that was ever so barely put to life, as animated as a walking corpse that lumbered forward in existence for the sole reason that it had to. Save for the smallest whooshing sounds of cold waves striking the sand of the nearby beach, any person that came alive at this time could not tell the difference between sentience and death.

A thick fog hung over Berk, a combination of warm air from distant and unknown shores colliding with Winter's icy grip that tried to maintain unrivaled dominance over the island. It was an oddly warm day for the season, but one that would not last long before the biting winds and relentless storms returned. This brief respite had only arrived after a particularly brutal spat of cold that made even the toughest of inhabitants shiver within their own homes. The nearby sea was choked with ice, thick plates of frozen seawater moaned and cracked in their inertia.

Three men stood at the edge of the longest of Berk's piers, vainly trying to see through the fog and spy anything even remotely resembling a vessel that parted the seas. All three wore their heaviest cloaks, standing still as a good sentry would and speaking little, preferring to enjoy the quiet of the moment rather than spoil it with bickering.

There was much to bicker about between two of these individuals. In a green cloak, standing ahead of the other two men was Stoick the Vast, a man whose heart was eager to feel pain but whose mind would not allow it, having experienced too many aches of the soul in life to be bothered with their delicate needs for now. He was relieved that the three of them were on this dock, it gave the chief a chance to think of things other than the nagging memory of a winter gone by, one that for the first time in fifteen years he had spent totally alone, bereft of the other heartbeat in his hall that was reassuring to know was there.

He was awaiting important business, having received a message several weeks ago that King Sweyn Forkbeard was coming to visit. It had been nearly ten years since the archipelago had been graced by the presence of such a respectable man, and a popular one at that. King Sweyn was a powerful ally to have, controlling nearly the whole of Norway and Denmark. He had long been a supporter of the scions of Vikings long past that pushed their settlement as far North as this archipelago, and his efforts in fighting dragons in Norway were legendary. Stoick was overjoyed to hear that they would be graced by their friend and benefactor once more.

Behind Stoick on his right stood Gobber, trusted friend and the de facto voice to the village when the chief was busy or incapacitated. The dark grey cloak he wore melded in with the fog around him and covered up a body that had suffered greatly in life. Only his false leg revealed the extent to which life had tried to snuff out his zeal for life, one more mark of how he had overcome another hardship to be where he was now, a man on the cusp of old age that could still fight as well as the young boy he had been seemingly an eternity ago. Where a real hand had once been now a flat, fake one was now attached, intended to welcome the king if and when his ship finally arrived.

On Stoick's left stood a man draped in a thick cloak of black, with hair of a similar color to match. Piercing blue eyes struck out from within the hood that obscured the head of the bitter man within, hiding behind this shell of cloth that served him better than any shirt of mail. While many of the inhabitants of Berk had qualms and feuds with Haldor Hofferson, he was indisputably among the finest warriors in the island's history and represented their martial ethos better than anyone. The relatives of his household were well respected in the homeland, and some even held the ears of noble thanes in Norway and England. Neither Stoick nor Gobber enjoyed the company of a man whose character and actions were so driven by hate, vitriol and pain, but so long as the man did what was necessary and provided a good example to others, they bit their tongues.

Haldor himself was rather excited to be where he was now, and eagerly expecting the arrival of King Sweyn whenever that might me. A messenger bearing a scroll with the king's seal had arrived a little over a two months ago with news that the king was on his way to inspect the island, and that considerations were being made of sending soldiers to help turn back the dragon raids once the King concluded his subjugation of England. Haldor's relatives were of the kind that would willingly bow to him upon seeing his army, caring more for their own opportunities at the hands of a new overlord than giving doomed allegiance to any Saxon thane. Even if his household on Berk was doomed now thanks to absence of his glorious daughter, elsewhere the Hofferson clan would thrive, and this was enough to give some minor solace to the weary man.

However, they had been expecting the king for over a week now and had each day found no boat materialized from beyond the horizon. They were beginning to grow worried that perhaps they had met some manner of doom upon the waves, but still held hope that a man as strong and intelligent as King Sweyn would find a way to them, some way, somehow. They took advantage of this warmer than usual day to await him at the pier, having a strong feeling that they might get lucky today.

Such a thing was of great importance to Haldor, for the noble man could be the key to new schemes developing within Haldor's mind. He had other plans that were slowly manifesting within his head, ideas that were dangerous to have but infinitely satisfying to contemplate. There was a good chance that the king could help him in such a situation, that was the only reason the Hofferson man scanned the waves so urgently.

He kept quiet as he looked to chief Stoick, his thick red hair overflowing from his head as he let it down to help keep warm. Haldor had no delusions about how broken he was, but this did not mean he could not see the faults in others. Beneath the hair, underneath the calloused skin, behind the strong green eyes there was a man as broken as Haldor, only he refused to show it. In many ways Haldor and Stoick were the same, they had lost both wife and kin to dragons and took it out on such creatures whenever they got the opportunity. But where many others saw a true leader and an inspiration in the chief, Haldor saw only weakness and fault. Where others tied their admiration to emotion and feeling, the Hofferson patriarch relied on fact to make his judgments, and those judgments were poor.

It could not be objectively denied that life on Berk had steadily gotten worse under Stoick's watch as the years turned into decades and the failings of the past cast long shadows into the future. Many had died on fruitless voyages to find the nest, others starved as crops burned and livestock were taken and could not be replaced fast enough. Each chief in the past had done what he could to create security and procure a safe future for the next generation of Berkians to take up the fight. Now all Haldor saw was death and decay, the death throes of an island that had overextended the pioneering spirit of their warrior roots, now witnessing the scions of once mighty ancestors being eroded by endless devastation.

It helped to have friends in high places, and therefore the higher a friend one had the more opportunity opened to them. To Haldor, a man like Sweyn with an army at his disposal was a good friend to make and have. An thousand warriors could not only turn the tide of the battles against the dragons, but could lead to something more. To bring prosperity for Berk, prosperity for the archipelago, and prosperity for Haldor Hofferson. With a thousand swords at his back, Haldor could do what was right, help save Berk from Stoick's blind incompetence. Without a daughter to nurture, without his own kin to save he would make his brothers in arms brothers by blood, find a new family to nurture and bring to victory where Stoick had so pitifully failed.

"Is that…" Gobber spoke up from the silence of the fog, a finger reaching out from his cloak to draw the attention of his chief to a shadowy mass slowly manifesting through the cloud. A single point soon morphed into the narrow curves of a longboat that slowly drew near, lumbering through the ice at a slow pace. A few oars were propelling the vessel forward, but certainly not as many as any would have expected for such a prominent vessel. The ice creaked as the boat pushed through it, one man on top with a spear pushing away what chunks he could as the oarsmen tried their best to navigate the wandering sheets.

"I think it is but…" Stoick was likewise surprised by the lack of visible men on the craft, feeling that such a display was not fitting for a king."…but King Sweyn…"

"Odd. I would have expected more from a king" Haldor was of the same sentiment as the two other men but spoke with more sarcasm, more relieved that someone had shown up at all than concerned with the appearance of the craft.

A loud blow of a horn pierced the fog, formally signaling their advance as the heaves and groans of men audibly weary from a long voyage grew more persistent. The man with a spear pushed more ice out of the way as the vessel slowly navigated its way towards the pier. The closer they drew the more the three Berkians on shore grew worried at the composition of the craft. The face of the men were obscured by armor and fog, but the heavy silhouettes of them revealed only a small number, barely enough oarsmen to sail across a lake, let alone an ocean. Vague outlines waved arms to the men on shore to make ready for them, and Stoick, Gobber and Haldor did so with apprehensions, now truly worried that some misfortune had befallen the craft.

"Your good, just bring it in close! Watch the ice but you're doing fine!" Gobber yelled to the boat as it drew near, the men on board becoming more recognizable and distinguishable as individual persons. Both Stoick and Haldor looked intently at the longship, but saw no specter that could be recognized as King Sweyn. Stoick knew the man a few years his senior was similar to him in appearance, tall and with thick red hair, albeit leaner and more ravaged by the stresses of life as come from fending off persistent attacks to one's crown. Yet no man fitting the description stood out, the man who stood in some manner of authority at the mast was younger in features, with curling blond hair and rosy cheeks. He was done up in a mail shirt and helmet with nose guard. The more Stoick thought about it, the more odd it seemed to see most of the men on the boat in armor, it was not necessary for rowing and especially odd when on a mission of diplomacy, not war. Another oddity that made the vessel all the more curious.

"Your good! Just watch the pier!" Gobber continued to wave them in with his own fingers, Haldor and Stoick remaining silent and motionless as their cloaks hung over the body without movement, there being no wind to break the dull, lethargic feel of this moment in time. As the side of the boat scraped against the pier, oarsmen began to leap out from the vessel and drag it in further, quickly attaching rope to the pillars and securing the vessel. They looked exhausted and understandably so, but this did not stop Stoick from extending the regular pleasantries as befitting any friendly vessel coming from royalty.

"Welcome to Berk! King…you are here King Sweyn?" Stoick asked hesitantly, hoping for answers as to the strange nature of the vessel.

"No…no I am afraid not." The voice that struck through the mist was a strong tenor that had all the authority of the deepest of voices. The man with curly blonde hair that puffed out from beneath his helmet stepped onto the docks, relieved to be so close to dry land at last. Stoick was racking his brain in trying to figure out who the stranger was before a memory of King Sweyn's last visit coincided with the figure present before him.

"Prince…Prince Canute is that you? Freya be praised you've aged well, what are you doing here?" Stoick was happy to see a man he recognized, but such a man did not seem to have the same sentiment, not out of hatred for the chief but for the circumstances that had brought such a meeting about.

"Yes Chief Stoick, indeed I am well aged, the one true God has certainly blessed me with such a thing." He spoke with the confidence of a man destined for greatness, slowly counting the days until he could claim glory for his own. But these fires of aspirations seemed broken, as though water had been thrown on them and forced a subservient nature out of a man that was visibly not comfortable with it. "Unfortunately, I come to you due to sad events that have transpired with my father, and it I found it my duty to report such things to you and alert you to the coming danger."

"Danger? Has something happened to King Sweyn? What is it?" Haldor's tone suddenly grew frantic at hearing of such gloomy circumstances, not that they would have been out of place on a day as stark and bleak as this one. Stoick and Gobber looked at the Hofferson man with skepticism, perplexed as to why a man as bitter and jaded as he would care about such a detail any more than they did.

"Yes I am afraid…" Canute began to speak, somber and remorseful but maintaining as much strength as he could, refusing to demonstrate weakness at a time like this. "…I am afraid that my father has fallen in battle in England. Much of his army has been destroyed as well."

It was only a couple of dry facts, but they bore great meaning and repercussions to both Stoick and Haldor, the hopes of both crushed as the thought of so many good Vikings defeated sunk in. But it raised further questions that were natural responses to such facts, and Haldor pressed on before the chief could speak.

"Prince-perhaps I should now call you King Canute-what exactly happened to your father then? He was defeated in battle then? Did the Saxons raise an army against him and vanquish him? I have relatives in England; I would hope they were not on the wrong side…" Haldor and the other Berkians grew intrigued that Canute almost seemed to laugh at Haldor's insinuations and concerns, not that the situation referenced was humorous, but enjoying the ignorance of his hosts.

"Haha…oh I long for days when I was as innocent as you my pagan friends. No. It was not the Saxons who vanquished my father and destroyed his army and forced me onto the sea with the few men that you see…" He gestured to the nine men behind him, hardly enough to control a long boat who hung their heads in exhaustion from both the voyage and life itself, having witnessed things that made even Vikings skittish. "No you see…my father he-we had invested in taking London as was necessary to break the will of the Saxons and claim the right to rule. They were putting up stiff resistance, and we were considering abandoning the siege when…" Canute paused, bitter in tone at feeling the anguish of gaping wounds of the soul. "You see, a few days before we had lain siege a rider had arrived at camp. He was a Dane, and he was frantic in thought, preaching of doom and of an army of dragons that approached from the East, destroying all in its path. We ignored him of course, thought he was crazy…"

Haldor and Stoick were quick to look to the other at the mention of such a ridiculous sounding thing, but delving beneath the words and contemplating them quickly brought a panicked scowl to the chief's face, one of true fear spurned by distant memories.

"D-dragon army?"

"Yes I am afraid…" Canute started again, eager to get the story over with. "…and we sent him away, laughed at him and thought him possessed. So we laid siege. We were just ready to attack the walls when we heard the first rumblings in the distance. We thought it demons at first…we were so right and so wrong at the same time." He took a moment to sigh, recounting a devastation few knew or ever deserved to know. "Then they came from the sky, hundreds of dragons. They were intent to black out the sun, diving from the skies without end. We had no way to fight them off, they came so suddenly. Many were killed quickly in bursts of flame, set ablaze and turned to black. Others were ripped apart before our eyes, split in two or had limbs torn off. Some were carried away to be eaten no doubt."

Canute paused, his stony exterior proving no match for terrors that would never leave his mind so long as he lived. This would not do for Haldor Hofferson, who pressed on further, intrigued at this sudden development.

"King Sweyn, he was killed in this attack then yes? How then are you alive?"

"He told me to run, to spread the word of this evil to as many thanes and kings and chiefs as possible to alert them to this coming threat. I insisted on staying and dying beside him, but in the end I had to respect his pleas. I managed to escape, and found the men you see behind me, a few more survivors saved by that occasional virtue of cowardice. We managed to find a boat and have made our way here, since I know my father was intent to visit here after subjugating the Saxons. We decided it fair to warn you and the archipelago, for we fear that this dragon ruler might be coming here soon enough."

Stoick couldn't hold in his questions any longer, having let Haldor take the reins of a conversation he could not understand the implications of. "King Canute, what was the name of this man who controlled the dragons? Did you ever learn anything more about him?"

Canute stepped forward, demonstrating an eagerness to see the island and find a more comfortable and respectable place to talk than at the edge of a pier. "Fortunately yes, for as we were travelling to the shore, we met with a lone messenger of this man who had been tasked with alerting the many thanes to his coming. He said that he was sent to bring to heel under a man by the name of Drago Bludvist. Said that he was intent to destroy the world. We killed him after this, trying to find some small degree of vengeance for our comrades, but that is what we know."

The single name that left Canute's lips left Stoick's blood colder than the ice around him, and earned worried stares from both Gobber and Haldor that both knew some of the intimate details of the chief's only encounter with the fabled man, one as much of legend as reality. After so many years without hearing of the man, they had considered him dead or at least so far away that he was not a threat. But within Stoick's memories the fires of destruction danced, the bodies of so many other chiefs lying before him brought up feelings of guilt. Both guilt that his brothers in arms had died, and that he had not died with them to spare himself this new agony, to once more be faced with this threat that-though he would never admit it-truly terrified him.

"Dra-Drago Bludvist you say? This man he-he has an army of dragons now?"

"Yes I'm afraid, and before we killed his messenger, he did reveal that there is one who is king of all dragons, a beast the size of mountains that Drago controls. We never saw it; the man might just be exaggerating on that piece. I think it more likely that Drago himself is the one who exacts such control, no man could control a beast of the proportions that the man described-if such a thing even existed." Canute scoffed at the notion; thinking that of all things that had happened to him, a mammoth dragon was the least credible thing in the world. This was of little matter to Stoick, whose mind was on fire with the possibilities that could happen now that so evil a man was so near and in such force. There were questions that needed answering, so many questions that would most certainly paint a bleaker image of the future than there already was.

"Uh…King Canute, we have much to talk about and you and your men are no doubt tired. Let us go to the great hall, there will be food for us there and we can talk more of these matters. There is much to discuss after all." The chief extended his arms out from beneath his cloak, intending to give a welcoming gesture to men who had been through so much already.

"Yes Chief Stoick I think that would be best. If it is alright with you we will stay a few days and may need some supplies, for we must warn the rest of the archipelago of this new threat. Then we sail south for Ireland, must warn the kings there of both our blood and the natives of this approaching calamity."

"Of course King Canute, this way please." Stoick turned and began walking down the pier, Gobber by his side as the king and his few men followed, looking as dignified as they could as they drooled in their mouths at the sound of food awaiting them after all their hardships. They vanished into the mist as conversations broke out amongst them, leaving behind only silence and the contemplating shell of a man that was Haldor Hofferson, who watched the group disappear before him with confused thoughts that were eager to sort themselves out.

This news was not necessarily welcome, for it put his entire plan in jeopardy now that the army he was counting on was now torn apart in a distant land. Still, it did raise new possibilities, ones that were not appealing but were certainly acceptable if necessary. Haldor Hofferson was a man who hated dragons; there was no doubt about this. He hated them, hated everything they represented. At the same time, ambition was ambition, and an army was an army. There was always something appealing in the unstoppable, there was an addictive urge to witness and hear of destruction that could never be tamed, of men whose greatest dreams were indeed achievable when thousands of men or dragons were at his call.

Haldor looked into the fog, his chief and the visitors long disappeared. Nothing would be done, there was nothing Stoick could do in the face of what Canute described, no valid resistance that could be given to such a threat. Haldor could already see it; the cruel options of either submit or perish. Haldor had no intentions of perishing just yet, but he knew Stoick would never willingly submit to Drago, not after what had happened so many years ago. The chief would never listen to reason, but Haldor knew he could. And for the moment, reason was telling him to keep a keen ear to what he heard about this Drago Bludvist. No matter what he did, a king was a king.

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

One step at a time.

That was the mantra that was drilled into Hiccup's head every day as his recovery continued, day by day progress was made as his wound turned into a scar, no more than a memory as he gained more and more flexibility. Soon after Astrid had first walked, he became able to sit up, and from there it took little time before he could stand and sit, and from there take his first steps. It felt so odd to walk at first, having been denied the privilege for so long. He had heard tales of the horsemen of the East, beyond where the Rus had settled that were masters of the steppe. They supposedly rode for so long that they would sometimes forget how to walk. Whether or not this was true Hiccup did not know, but after laying in a single spot for the over a month, he was willing accept the possibility of truth.

His first steps had been very uneasy, his feet soft and tender and unprepared for the feel of the cold stone floor. Toothless and Abulcasis had been at both his sides, allowing their bodies to be used as support as the boy made his first stroll around the room, what might as well be considered an epic journey as he rounded the bed and back. Astrid rewarded him with a kiss upon his triumphant return-after he took a moment to catch his breath of course. He took similar voyages throughout the day and for several days after, encouraged to go a little further each time. First to the door, then to the edge of the hall, then down another hallway, following the same path of recuperation Astrid had taken before him as she had likewise healed. Within a few weeks both were mostly steady on their feet, Astrid more so although she would still misplace her leg sometimes, causing a shock of pain that took a while to subside.

Though the stars said that the world was in the thick of winter, both Vikings and their dragon companion scoffed at what the Moors called such a season. Granted it was cool, but nothing overly so that could even stop them from staying outside. It felt like Spring, there was no snow, no ice and no biting winds. There was nothing to impede the two young travelers from exploring the city and enjoying all that it had to offer, and Abulcasis was more than happy to reveal the wonders of the metropolis to them each day, going as far as they could in any direction before fatigue forced the recuperating Vikings to turn back.

They took to dressing like the Moors that had taken them in, finding their clothing was ideal for a recovering body that would not be comfortable with restrictive clothing. Astrid had opted to dress in the male garb, taking one look at what was expected for any noble woman to wear and scoffing at the loose clothing. She had already experienced how useless she became in such loose and bulky clothing; she would never be subject to such things again. Both she and Hiccup dressed similarly, with a pair of black trousers and a long tunic to cover them with Hiccup's of a dark red and Astrid's a forest green.

Cordoba itself was fairly similar to how Hidalgo had described it to Astrid, glamorous on the interior but with as much scum within as comes with any city. They had first seen the exterior of the palace they were being housed in, a magnificent series of buildings made with marble and granite, with gardens in the courtyards that were still lush with greenery. It was perhaps this, the sight of something other than evergreens living in the winter that impressed the Vikings most of all, no work of man ever coming close with the simple beauty that is nature.

That was not to say that the palace itself wasn't a wondrous place. Long corridors stretched around the courtyards, windows of arches seemingly ran along them forever and gave ample viewing to the gardens and the statues within them. The walls were done up in massive mosaics of geometric figures the likes of which adorned their room, triangles, quadrilaterals and lines that stretched on forever in zig zags, ceaseless in how they unfolded from room to room. They seemed to all be in the place of something, intending to glorify some deity that would never show its face but was forever there by the virtue of life itself, better served by honoring the miracles of nature's working than mere images that could be lost to time.

The area of the city closest to the palace was similar in form, made by and inhabited by the wealthy and those of importance. Quarters for merchants were close by, likewise housing for members of the court and army that could not housed in the palace. The center of the city truly was a gem, a masterwork of masonry and artistry as befitting its rulers. The roads were paved in stone, the gutters clean and without trash of any kind to disturb the immaculate constructions around them. Hiccup thought his father's house impressive for being the biggest and most lavish in the village, but now that he could see how men of wealth _truly_ lived, what was possible when there was not the constant threat of destruction and when an empire grew rich upon the labor of thousands, he felt truly small. The massive columns of marble, the beautiful art, the clean streets, it was as foreign as foreign could get. It was opulence, true power, the kind lowly Viking chiefs could only dream of.

But as they ventured further from this center of power and wealth, they could see that not everything about this city was as idyllic as where they had woken up. Walking along the streets was like waking from another entirely different dream, where there had once been bounty and luxury there was now only struggle and despair. The nauseating stench of waste rose from dirty gutters; the cries of children poured out from houses, the gravely wisps of beggars hung low on the streets. Where in the market stalls closer to the palace there were goods of luxury and people did business with decorum and reason, barters on these streets was performed in shouting matches, furious debates over who could spare the greater pain of losing something through the necessities of trade. There was no time to waste; only when loud calls from high towers resounded throughout the city at certain points during the day did everything come to a strange halt. Hiccup and Astrid were fascinated by the practice, a truly impressive devotion to the god of these people that once more put the small rituals and sacrifices of Berk to shame. No idol nor incantation of the elders would ever compare to this, true and utter worship of something that could not be seen, as much a commitment to the divine as it was to all it represented.

The amount of people was rather overwhelming; the incredibly varied array of skins, languages, clothes and customs was so much to take in no matter how many forays into the streets they made. There was no such thing as Cordoba; it was but a collection of Moors, Spaniards of ancestry from ancient empires and migrating hordes, and distant peoples from across the Mediterranean that put aside the differences of king and creed to survive in a metropolis born too many centuries before it was ready to handle such masses. Hiccup didn't know what to make of it, having never seen so many different people before. It was almost frightening, to be rendered so small amongst the endless waves.

At least he would have been just another person if it weren't for the fact that Toothless never left he or Astrid's side regardless of where they went. Wherever they traveled the black dragon followed, drawing an exceptional amount of attention as every single inhabitant of the city would stop what they were doing-even in their prayerful prostration-to behold the magnificent creature. Toothless relished in the attention, going on long-winded rants about the perfection of his form and praising the people of the city for giving him such respect. He did not even take it as an insult when Hiccup or Astrid or both had to ride him on the ground when their legs grew weak, he considered his ability to handle so much weight an example of his strength and majesty. For as much as he was puzzled by the certain ways in which humans cared for their self image, the dragon was not above enjoying his own vanity from time to time.

One thing both Hiccup and Astrid had noted was the profound absence of dragons in these southerly parts, how asides from their close encounter in Wales and some sightings in the French countryside and the Pyrenees, dragons posed no real threat to human civilization in these latitudes. This meant one of two things to Hiccup, that either these simply were not places fit for draconic habitation, or the more grim reality that the expansion of human settlement had gradually driven them to destruction. It made sense, the only reason Berk was in a state of perpetual war was because the first Vikings to settle the island had trespassed on land so heavily invested by dragons. They were only a few hundred against legions of their enemy, but in places like this it had seemed the tide had turned a long time ago. The need for civilization, for a life free from fear and struggle had pushed the territory of these creatures farther and farther North in the name of survival. While Hiccup mourned the fact that there was now a genuine threat to the existence of such remarkable species, such was the march of humanity. Granted his own species hadn't treated him the best, but he couldn't just forsake them all when he still loved at least one of them. He was caught in a difficult place, not wanting people to be hurt but not wanting dragons to vanish. Coexistence seemed impossible, little more than a fantasy that he doubted would ever come to fruition. Better just to save those one could instead of worrying about the wider world.

It was this wider world that did fascinate the boy though, more specifically the palace library that held such knowledge within its depths. Early on in their walks, it had been revealed to them that Hisham's father had built a massive library near the palace so as to collect the wealth of knowledge that was always under threat in the world. As their health returned Hiccup had been insistent on visiting the place, enamored with the thought of being around such a wealth of intellect.

The building itself was nothing particularly impressive when compared to the palace but that is not to say it was not well built. The hall was made of granite and the walls were lit with well built lanterns, securing every flame within a glass cage so as to prevent the all too prevalent risk of catastrophe. It was divided up amongst massive shelves containing numbers of books that humbled Hiccup in his inability to count them all. Massive volumes of paper and hide lined every shelf, a scattered arrangement of compendiums, codices and compilations on every topic that could exist, from ancient scrolls on the nature of the divine to recent texts on the histories of distant lands and peoples. If Hiccup could read a line of Latin, Greek or Arabic, he would have been stuck in there all day. Regrettably, the runes were not the preferred script in these parts, and only a few books and scrolls could be read. Even then, most were collections of stories held dearly to the hearts of any Viking and already known to the boy.

There was one thing though that any person could read regardless of tongue, and that was the outline of the world. The library had an extensive collection of maps of places near and far. Many concerned Iberia; all giving their unique flavor to this land that seemed to stick out and keep sentry on the vast waters that encircled the world. Yet there were lands to the south that seemed to extend even further west, or at least hinted at this prospect. Much like Hiccup had seen in the maps of Normandy, far to the south there seemed to be nothing but sand and desolation, coasts that were dotted with a few cities gave way to an endless expanse of arid, uninhabited wastes, yet the presence of trade routes and exotic names scattered in this wasteland did intrigue him. What could exist in such places? New peoples? New dragons? Entirely new lands that not even the greatest Vikings before him had ever explored? The options were tantalizing.

He, Toothless, Abulcasis and Astrid now sat in the library, for the most part abandoned as night came at such an early time and the few scholars that would need such an expansive array of texts had finished their work for the day. They shared a large tray of figs and dates that Hisham grew special for the enjoyment of those in the palace, having spent a great fortune in transporting so many of the plants to this land so distant from their native places. Neither Viking had ever tasted the fruits before, and though they were certainly different than any other fruit they had had before, they weren't going to say no to something sweet. Hiccup looked upon one of the few documents written in the runes, a traveler's account of the northern lands that had been translated into the native language, likely made for the wealthy trader who wanted to read about the opinions others had about the place of his birth. He was fascinated in the descriptions, delving deep into the written word as Astrid and Abulcasis talked between themselves.

"So she actually lived?"

"Yes. Would die if I didn't remove. Was dangerous though, cannot advise other do it. Fortunate it rare occurrence, though still hard to keep them alive even after birth." Abulcasis chewed into a date as he related a rather gruesome story of a patient of his, the wife of a prominent commander whose efforts in having a child had gone poorly. So poorly that her pregnancy had not even implanted correctly, causing immense pain and bleeding.

"It was a horrible sight to behold I tell you, had just start to look like one of us. Gave it small burial in a garden, said prayer and such things as is right to do. Woman lived, but husband turn to second wife to have child. Better for both I say."

Astrid wasn't sure what to have been feeling as Abulcasis related the details to her. On the one hand she was fascinated by the story about such a peculiar aspect of the feminine body and it made her consider her own in a very serious way. At the same time it did not make it any less a story of gore. She almost laughed at herself for how she thought, having killed full grown men in the past but being squeamish at hearing Abulcasis relate how he had to extract what could have been a man in a better life. There just seemed something off about it, the destruction of life before it had even begun that made her uncomfortable where she didn't think she should have been. It was a visceral disgust; the only thing that made it better was that someone had lived because of the sacrifice.

"So this is a common thing?" Astrid asked, knowing she would regret asking for more details but too intrigued not to.

"Not this case, but many others. Place of your birth, the same problems are there. Children are soft, so easy to die when young. Many women lucky for me, I am good at delivery and caring. Still, nature cruel sometimes, takes them when there is no reason. At least they die of own will, in poor parts of city they sometimes killed. Tragic." Abulcasis shook his head, giving pity to tragedies that were beyond his control and left between a person and their morality, a reality he despised but could not change no matter how much he may have wanted it.

"Wow…" Astrid mulled, aware of the many calamities that could befall any young child in those tumultuous months both before and after they were brought into the world. On Berk with so few people, everyone knew about it and everyone was there to help the mother through it. What Abulcasis described though was so different, almost impersonal. The more people there were, the more to take care of. And the more one became lost in the chaos of the metropolis the more the care for any one person became lost, the interest in those lives lost before life began became insignificant as they amassed into statistics and fell into the background noise of life. She found it more disturbing than the memories of the men she'd killed, striking so close to what she knew her most innate purpose in body had been. It was almost paradoxical, the more people there were in any one place, the less care was given to any single life, people sought out ever more people to be around, but in doing so could care less and less about all of them. Astrid was sure Toothless had already caught onto this, but he was too occupied looking at the buttresses in the ceiling to give much thought to the matter.

"Yes. Sad but it is part of job. We all do things we do not like. Like attacking fortress, yes Hiccup?" Abulcasis laughed as he turned into his seat to address the boy, who had ignored the conversation and had instead become invested in a certain passage from the text he had been reading, a few particular runes standing out in the parchment that made him truly excited.

"Mmh? Yeah sure-Astrid! Look at this!" He pushed the codex towards Astrid and got up from his chair, knowing that attempting to lean over the table would be more unnecessary pain that he was in no mood to deal with. Astrid took the book in her hands but showed a wariness towards holding the object. Hiccup did not understand such apprehension and pressed on, amazed at what he found.

"Look-look here." He pointed to the middle of a page of runes that Astrid slowly directed her attention towards, looking at the ink and seeing nothing comprehendible. Hiccup raised a finger and pressed it to the middle of the page, running his nail back and forth underneath a certain set of runes. "See? Don't you see it? Isn't that amazing?" He was truly happy, but Astrid could not see why. She knew she needed to say something, and spoke in a low and mildly interested voice.

"Oh…yeah that is pretty neat."

"I know! It actually mentions Berk! All the way down here and I found something that mentions our home! Granted it's just a passing phrase about where we're located, but still!"

Astrid's eyes widened a bit, actually surprised at what he was saying. "Oh…wow actually-actually that is pretty amazing. Never thought I'd ever-ever see it in writing." The statement finally drew Hiccup's interest. He expected her to be more excited than this, and he quickly devised a way to test a theory he was beginning to suspect of her.

"Yeah…now what's even better is this here…" He pointed further along the line of runes and lowered his finger to the next line; some inconsequential remarks concerning other islands of the archipelago, not that Astrid needed to know that right away. "…this is about all the dragon raids, pretty impressive right?"

"Yeah…pretty neat."

Hiccup looked at her intently for a moment, causing the girl to fear that she had been found out. Hiccup began to smile incredulously, amazed that he had never known before what he saw so clearly now. "Oh gods…you-you can't-"

"Yeah yeah! I can't read alright? Is it really that amazing?!" She spat back at him with more ferocity than anyone had been expecting, causing Toothless to redirect his attention towards the humans for a moment, intent on seeing whether his input would be needed. Hiccup stepped back a moment as he reflexively gave into his ever latent fear of Astrid before the knowledge that they were far more committed to one another now they had been in the past came to mind, and this allowed him the courage to confront the issue directly.

"Astrid…I just-I just thought-"

"Well you were wrong!" Her voice began to grow softer, regretful for her previous outburst but still frustrated that the issue had been brought up. "I-you know not many in the village can read Hiccup, come on. The only reason you can is because you are the chief's son…and you really couldn't do anything else. While you were busy being inside and learning all this stuff people like me were working our asses off to become better fighters! Not everyone has the luxury to be as smart as you…" She grumbled something incomprehensible as she looked away from Hiccup, staring at the page of runes and scowling at the script that she could understand through sound but not with her eyes. It was almost cruel in a humorous way, how even if one could speak their language well, the way it was transcribed could render it completely foreign to even the most competent of speakers.

Hiccup stood quiet a moment, without any discernible expression on his face as he tried to come up with a solution to this awkward situation. Abulcasis sat back in his chair, not at all interested at getting near Astrid when she was angry. Telling her to smile when she was in pain had already earned him several punches too many. Toothless looked at both of them with curious interest, seeing no benefit for himself in dealing with some subject as petty as written script. Any creature that could convey thought directly into another creature's head had little need for such trivial demonstrations of intellect.

Quickly, Hiccup gathered his resolve and stepped over to his chair, pulling it up close to Astrid and taking a seat as he began to speak. "Astrid…I'm sorry I-I just thought-you know what? I guess I was wrong to think that it's just…it's just like how you describe. I _was_ always in the house, at least more than all the others. And yes, granted that my father lived under the delusion that I would be chief one day he made sure that I was taught this stuff but I-I just thought-I mean you were so good at everything else and…well with everything you told me about your father I thought he would have taught you this stuff as well. I just assumed is all."

Her expression softened at this outpouring of regret and admittance of wrong from the boy, and she nodded towards him as she went to speak herself. She couldn't stay mad at that face for long anymore, especially when it rested upon such a fragile and weak body that was still recovering."I-I know. It's just…I guess I just don't like the fact that I can't. That my father _didn't_ try to teach me when I know damn well he could. I guess he didn't see it as necessary, not what was right for me. I-now I guess-I mean I can survive without it I just…just got me irritated to see you all happy about it is all."

Hiccup couldn't help smiling at such a statement, being the subject of envious desire was not exactly a norm for him. He had never considered this one ability of his to be something so totally remarkable, but now that he could see just how strong a reaction it could get out of someone to demonstrate his abilities in the matter it made him feel strangely important. It was as though he held the secret of the universe in his mind, his eyes were a coveted possession in what they had been trained to do. To know that something that was so simple to him was so difficult a thing for Astrid almost made him want to gloat-if he didn't know better about her temper.

"Well…we do have time. I can teach you if you want. Might be helpful in the future if we need to communicate. Plus…I don't know I guess it would be fun? I mean-yeah. I'd love to teach you. At least the basics." He wasn't sure what else to say, so he just came out with it. A bright smile came to Astrid's lips which only further delighted Hiccup. He never thought something that he had at one point in his youth considered a boring thing to learn for the sake of his station could ever hold such power and interest over anyone, let alone the girl that had always seemed too good for such things. Yet it was his knowledge, not his physical skills that could win him ever more love and respect from her, and he wasn't going to say no to that.

"Great! You want to start tonight?" Astrid asked, suddenly enthralled with the prospect of learning something so familiar and foreign to her as the script of her own language.

"Sure, provided we can get some ink and paper. Abulcasis?"

"Yes yes I get you things. But you still sleep at time I say yes? Sleep is good for recovery, you know this."

"Yes we know…" Hiccup grumbled he ran a hand through his hair, something he had not been able to do at all during his rest and was grateful to do now, especially as his hair grew longer with each passing month. After Astrid had cut hers down to his length back in Normandy, both of theirs were now the same length and growing at about the same pace. Hiccup wasn't sure if he would ever cut his again, he enjoyed it the way it was, large and luxurious, making him look bigger than he was.

Such a man with the confidence to call himself such reached his fingers towards the plate of figs and dates that Abulcasis and Astrid had been sharing and that he had taken from on occasion. There was one last fruit there, and Astrid's digits were likewise reaching for it. Fingers touched together as they both landed on the fruit, neither grasping the desired object as both stopped at feeling the other, not wanting to play the part of depriving someone of something so delicious.

"You-you can have it." Hiccup said, beginning to withdraw his fingers.

"No! You were there first!" Astrid was rather insistent in conceding the fig to Hiccup, already having consumed so many she was beginning to feel guilt about depriving the others of so many.

"No…no I mean I can go without it, it's yours."

They were at an impasse, caught in a state of indecision the likes of which drove Astrid wild with frustration. She was not one for stagnation, always preferring movement and catharsis to every and all situations. Knowing only of the more classic Viking ways to settle dispute, she lifted her right arm up to the table and curved her fingers inward, intending for another hand to lock with it. "Fine, we settle this the old fashioned way. Whoever _loses_ gets the fig, that way I know I won't have it."

Though Hiccup was less than thrilled at allowing his lack of physical strength be demonstrated, he brought his right arm up to the table as well. He didn't consider it fair since his left was stronger, but against Astrid he knew it did not matter. He sighed as he shook his head, complying with silence as he locked hands with her and awaited the signal to begin. A moment shared between their eyes passed before Astrid began to smile, craving the opportunity for action that drove her every waking moment.

"Go!"

And nothing happened.

That is not to say that a lot was not attempted. The moment she gave the word, Hiccup put all his force in trying to move Astrid's hand down towards the table. He put as much weight into it as he could, but her hand did not budge. He at first merely assumed this was her toying with him, using her always superior strength to hold back all his force for a moment before making a quick victory. Yet when Hiccup began to act defensively and let her to put force into her push against him, he found that she could not move his hand much at all. He put all his strength into holding her back but expected that she would overpower him any moment. But that moment never came, and as he pushed back against her she conceded a good distance when presented with his efforts, and they ended up back at the center of the invisible arc in which they competed. Their hands trembled as the muscles became rapidly fatigued from over exhaustion, both participants rather shocked at their sudden abilities and inabilities in this competition of strength.

Astrid looked at the intertwined hands and couldn't believe her eyes. No matter how much her muscles burned with exertion and how much she might have willed for either victory or loss, the hands did not move. She couldn't fairly lose, because she was still too strong for Hiccup to overcome. Yet she could not move him either, his resistance being too much for her to defeat. It was not that he had grown any stronger than he had ever been, for that would imply strength to begin with. But as her muscles ached and the hands refused to move much either way, she came to a terrifying if logical conclusion. It was not that Hiccup had gotten stronger, but she had grown weaker. Week after week of rest forced upon her by the injury to her leg had removed whatever muscle she might have had, stripping her of something so central to her identity through no fault of her own.

"I-I can't do anything."

"Mmmhhh…me neither." Hiccup huffed, trying to put one last burst of strength into the duel but finding that he could do nothing. Both competitors relaxed their muscles and pulled their hands away. Abulcasis' bony fingers slithered around them and stole the fig they had competed over, not that either really cared at this point as they wiped the sweat from their palms against their legs.

"Wow…that's uh…"

"Yeah…" Astrid lamented, feeling at her arms and now truly realizing how de-conditioned she had become."All that bed rest is screwing with me, lost all my strength…going to have to get it back." She was grumbling to herself, thinking that the words only mattered to herself. She did not expect Hiccup to lean forward what little he could and speak in return.

"Well…"

"Well what?"

"Well…" Hiccup almost felt embarrassed about asking this, it sounded both so right and so wrong in his head, but the right overpowered the wrong and so propelled his lips to inquire. "I mean you know how back on Berk I was always still trying to learn how to fight, but of course nobody really had the patience to work with what little of me there was to work with and I always failed. We're here…we have plenty of time and all the resources we could want. I mean-well what's the point of you just training alone?" It was a little roundabout way of saying it, but Hiccup was relieved as Astrid took notice to his question and began to smile as she thought it over.

"Yeah…well I guess if anyone was going to teach you it might as well be me right? But you-you do know that it will take some time? We'll have to stay here for a while…means dealing with Hisham-"

"Ha! I handle Hisham for you Astrid, Hiccup no worry." Abulcasis interjected, seemingly overjoyed at being given the opportunity to stand up for something he felt so passionately about." I let him go after others because they but slaves. You are guests of palace and under my care, I not let anything happen to boy, he has enough issues without threatening disease."

"Oh-oh…alright then." Astrid added, surprised at the physician's willingness to defend a boy he had only known a few months, not that either side was complaining. Hiccup likewise nodded in agreement that he was being defended, and turned back to Astrid to finalize their plans for the future.

"So it's settled then, I teach you how to read, you teach me how to fight?"

"Oh so it's an exchange now?" Astrid laughed a moment before speaking again. "Sure. But I can be a tough teacher."

"So can I."

"Is that a challenge?"

Hiccup paused on the question a moment, too overcomes with the glee of finally proving himself the man he always knew to be on the inside overpowering any serious thoughts or considerations on the matter. He could both teach and learn, be both teacher and student, and with the only person he'd trust to be his either in this case.

"Why yes. Yes it is."

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

**Hello peoples!**

**A bit of a filler chapter here, but it is important in establishing things going forward. I regret to say that for now I will be taking a few weeks off to enjoy some relaxation for the last few weeks of summer vacation before I head back to school and settle in there, so while I will still be working on this story, it will be at a slower pace. I will be using this time of no uploads to also go back and fix earlier chapters, doing some minor rewrites and nixing a lot of spelling and grammar mistakes. All this will be uploaded when I put up the next chapter which will likely be the first or second Sunday in September. Until then I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you then. Happy life.**

**-Mc.**


	32. Body and Mind

Hiccup's lungs were burning, and he loved it.

Not the pain of course, he could have done without this necessity, but agony is indeed a requirement of anything that is worthy in life. His legs stumbled forward, awkwardly throwing themselves in front of one another as he strained to motivate the screaming muscles to keep up the work. His face was hot, sweat trickled out of each of the pores from beneath his clothing. Each inhale of breath was like filling his chest with metal shards that scraped against the lung, peeling it away and slowly rendering his chest a hollow cavern. He knew this wasn't actually happening, but it might as well have been considering the agony he was in.

Still he carried on, trudging forward in his effort to run. He wasn't even sure that he could even call this running any more as he made so little progress. Every movement forward just felt like a footstep that he was putting more effort into than was necessary. He couldn't even remember what lap he was on, he'd lost track the first time his spit had caught at the back of his mouth and he nearly choked on it while still trying to run at the same pace. He had become lost in the repetitiveness of the motion, whipped into the joyously painful frenzy that is exercise.

It had only been four days since they had started this training and he was already exhausted. Granted Astrid was having _some_ difficulties as well as she tried to whip her body back into shape, but such things came much easily to her. Hiccup never understood why he always struggled with these things; he feared there may have been something truly wrong with him that prohibited gaining any manner of strength without great effort. But if great effort were needed, great effort he would put in. He was finally being cared for, finally being allowed to train as he wished and in a way he could do, individualized care from the only teacher he would ever respect.

"Come on! Just one more and I'll let you stop!"

At the same time, training still sucked. Astrid's voice rose up from the center of the courtyard, emotionless and only concerned that Hiccup finished what he was supposed to do. She had already done what she considered her work for the day, having risen early to get it over with so that she could totally devote her time to him. He would have appreciated it more if he could see her struggling as much as he, but even when they were both so weak after such a long time in bed Astrid still seemed able to do more and function better than he ever could. It was a depressing reality, but it made him determined for the future. He took a deep and painful breath as he put his legs to work, reaching deep within himself to find what little strength he had as the corner was rounded.

Astrid had decided upon one of the less impressive garden courtyards of Hisham's palace for them to train in, one that was mostly covered in grass with a large fig tree at each corner. Two small pathways intersected at the center, thin and fit only for one person to walk on at a time. The center of the courtyard held a small fountain of simple construction, with three basins that grew in size as they descended from a single spire of marble. Water bubbled from the top and gurgled down to each basin before it slowly collected in the largest basin and vanished to be reused again. Hiccup considered such a simplistic structure a marvel of engineering, and was determined to find out how it worked one of these days.

Toothless had on the first day shown great interest in Hiccup's training regimen and had initially shown concern when the boy became out of breath and screamed of his muscles being in agony. But when Toothless found that all this complaining did not in fact result in death, he become more disengaged. He knew that unless his bodily faculties could be used, there was little point in being so obsessed with what from the outside appeared a rather boring and repetitive series of tasks. While exercise and conditioning were important for the participant, it becomes dull for the observer rather quickly if they have no direct stake in the actions. Toothless had thus resigned himself to staying either on the roof of the palace overlooking the courtyard and dosing in the sun-a feat accomplished by scaling the pillars and arches that made up each floor of the building's exterior-or simply roaming the corridors around the court. He kept patrol for Hisham, who Hiccup was none too willing to let observe him. Toothless understood this, and on the two occasions so far when the caliph had come to watch, the dragon's stoic and intimidating manner forced a withdrawal from the man shortly after arriving. Hiccup considered it just as well, he had no interest in being judged by a dragon on his physical failings, his trainer was more than enough.

"Let's go! We don't have all day!" Astrid yelled again, keeping her eyes on Hiccup as the boy neared the next corner, only two more left to go after this one. He pushed onward, shuffling his feet awkwardly as he passed under the shade of one of the fig trees. The sun was already growing stronger even though Hiccup knew that summer was still several months away. It was already as hot as the usual summer day on Berk; Hiccup was truly terrified of what the warmest season was like in this place. If they went even further south, would it grow even hotter? Was this the way of the world; that eventually if they went south enough they would enter a place too hot for humans? Would the world end with a sea of fire, a wall of heat that no living thing could pass through? Hiccup had dealt with all manner of cold before, but it was the opposite end of the spectrum that truly frightened him, the possibilities the world offered at the extremes of both heat and cold.

"I'm going! I'm going!" Hiccup yelled as he pushed forward down the next straight path, his mouth wet with spittle that he could not swallow nor spit, so occupied that he was caught in an uncomfortable limbo. He tried to keep his head clear of negative thoughts about Astrid right now. He hated being pushed like this, but at the same time, he understood that she was only pushing him so he would get better. Regardless, being yelled at to do more than one could was aggravating no matter one person's relationship with another. There had been more than a few times in recent days that he had just wanted to yell at her. He wasn't sure what he wanted to yell, but he knew that he was in the mood that required yelling. He kept such feelings down, no need making more of a situation than there actually was.

He turned the last corner, racing to the final point where he would be free from his duties for the moment until Astrid decided to inflict some new torture on him. Each footfall was a little closer to salvation, to reach the peak of this plane he had been running around for gods knew how long. He refused to let up and put in the last of his strength, driving himself towards the corner where salvation from this torture awaited. His deep breaths and desperate pants ended as he fell over into the dirt, hand reaching for an end as his heart raced frantically, screaming at its exertion as the boy's lungs sucked in as much air as they could.

"Oh…oh gods….Tyr…save me…" He managed out between deep breaths. His chest was in agony, he feared his lungs either had exploded or had withered away into nothing. He tried to take shallower breaths to lessen the pain, desperate to slow his heart rate and return his body to normal. He began to wheeze as he recovered, lost to the world of reality as his only focus became surviving the agony his body felt. Every wisp of air that entered his mouth was never by itself enough to relieve his agony.

He turned over onto his back, lifting his right hand to the heart and feeling the racing pulse within his chest reverberate quickly, only ever so minutely slowing down with each few breaths he took. He looked to the sky, cloudless and shining in a pale shade of blue. The warm sun was already beating down on him, caressing his skin and relaxing his muscles that screamed in agony. He was still uncomfortable with how much he was sweating, but he considered that inconsequential in the scheme of things. His mouth still felt dry and filled with spit at the same time, a phenomenon he did not know how to explain.

"Not bad…" Astrid's voice rose up from beyond his vision as she slowly approached. Hiccup didn't even bother to move his head, so occupied with his recovery. "…not bad at all. Better than the last few days at least. I think I'll give you tomorrow off, let you recover. From running at least, still got muscle training though."

"Oh….oh good…I can do muscle-muscle training tomorrow…" Hiccup managed to get out between his gasps that slowly diminished in rate with each one he took. Astrid now stood at his side, looking down on him with amusement. The sun curved around her hair that resembled the color of that which creates all life worthy of life. She took the place of the star as its corona shimmered around her head, like a halo. If Hiccup wasn't fearful that he'd die from over exhaustion, he'd have admired it more.

"That's not what I meant. I'll give you a moment to recover, but we're still doing muscle training today as well. Now come on…" She lowered a hand to him and gestured for him to take it. Weakly the boy reached a limp wrist up towards hers and connected, pushing himself up as best he can as his legs screamed in protest at being used again. He lumbered forward with her, groaning to himself as the thoughts of muscular training weighed heavy upon his cogent brain. This wasn't even heavy lifting or anything too risky, just the basics for now as Astrid had told him. And while they were indeed rather simplistic aerobic exercises, they still put a great stress upon what limited muscle he had. Slowly though, even after the last few days he was beginning to feel masses form in his arms and a tightening of his abdomen. Slow progress, but anything would be appreciated in this case.

"Come on…I'm-I'm dying here."

"No you're not. Trust me I know it sucks but you got to work through it. Who's going to be scared of the guy who took breaks while other people were still training?" She sounded apathetic, that she knew the intimate ways of these excuses and was proficient in them. She was nearly carrying Hiccup up from the ground and closer towards the fountain, the boy's breathing beginning to return to normal as his inhales became more orderly and he could once more swallow without struggle.

"Can't we-can't we just take a break or something?"

"I'm giving you a break by not making you do it right after you finished running, plus I'll let you take a drink before we begin."

"Oh….how merciful…" Hiccup grumbled as he freed himself from Astrid's grip and stumbled towards the fountain. The clear waters trickled down from the top, passing from basin to basin as each overflowed into the next. The clear and pure nectar of life that was just cool enough to comfort as he pressed his face into the lowest basin, submerging half his skull to relieve himself from the heat that he still couldn't adjust to. Astrid stood behind him waiting, he could not care less. He pulled his head out of the water, letting it run through his hair as he flung the locks back, his skin tingling as the cool liquid sucked the warmth away from his body. "Ah yeah…"

"Enjoying yourself?"

"I am now." Hiccup mumbled as he brushed the water away from his eyes and rubbed his hair, spreading the water across every surface of his skin he could so to cool himself down. Astrid wandered to the fountain herself, doing little more than lowering her lips to the surface and taking a quick drink. Hiccup placed his hands on the rim of the lowest basin, taking a long breath and sighing as the sun began to beat down upon him again. "Even after all that…somehow enjoying myself."

"Oh…well then I guess you didn't work hard enough." Astrid quipped as she sighed herself, indignant at the hot temperatures of this land that defied the rational progression of the seasons. "Don't worry, we'll work on that."

"Odin's beard…don't you ever get tired? How the Hel can you keep going and furthermore make _me_ keep going after all this?" Hiccup took a deep breath as he finished, irritated that he could garner no sympathy from his trainer.

"Eh, you learn to put up with it after a while. Eventually you realize that complaining about waking up at sunrise every morning even when you went to sleep not two hours before is pointless. Eventually you learn that complaining about how your muscles feel like they'll explode doesn't work when you both know that they actually won't, no matter what they feel like." Astrid sighed herself, looking up to the sky and closing her eyes, letting the sunlight warm her face. She was so used to it, the feel of hot sun on her face when she was already so tired. It was her ally, that which bestowed it's aura to her hair and made her skin glow with divine radiance. "You learn that asking for a break will get you nowhere because you know you can work through the pain. You learn that if you don't do what you're told and work how you want to work, you'd never work at all."

Hiccup stared at Astrid with baited interest, trying to see more to the girl's words. All he could glimpse were vague pictures of his imagination, of a tall man with long black hair and piercing blue eyes. Of yelling, of hot summer days that would stop no Hofferson in attaining the fragile goal of physical perfection. Of short nights of cherished rests before day would come and everything would be repeated, until pain was hardly a concern and there could be no reason to complain. Day after day, month after month, working towards a perfection that was always just out of reach.

"Ah…you learn Hiccup. That's all you do, you learn." Astrid quipped as she turned to him, strange colors flashing before her eyes as she opened them and freed them from the love of the sun. Hiccup grimaced as she looked at him, giving his body a quick once over so as to make sure there wasn't anything wrong before they continued. He hardly disliked being looked at by her, but the smile of sensuous yet malicious intent that only the feminine gender can truly master which broke out upon her lips made him worried for what was being planned behind her eyes.

"Uh…"

"Now…" She began, pushing away from the fountain and motioning for Hiccup to join her on the grass between walkways. "Muscle training. We'll start with some pushups. You did fifteen yesterday, I'm expecting twenty today."

"Oh man…" He bemoaned, knowing that yesterday was likely a fluke of his strength since he was really pushing things from twelve onward. Twenty? In his condition? Never had so relatively small a number seemed so daunting. "Please…"

"No begging!" She was not forceful, but she raised her voice regardless to make a point. "Come on, the longer you put it off the more you're just delaying the inevitable. Now get in position, unless you want me to wrestle you down…"

"Mayb-"

"And not the good kind of wrestle…"

"No! No that's…that's perfectly fine. I'll-I'll uh…here we go." He threw himself to the ground and made ready, palms against the dirt and fresh grass and as eager they could be to put strain upon themselves.

"Alright, then, we're going for twenty….begin!" Astrid called and so Hiccup began, pushing himself up quickly, lowering himself, and going about the rote task of muscle memory over and over again as Astrid barked out numbers. "One. Two. Three. No that one doesn't count, do it again! Four. Five…." The count went on, and for a moment Hiccup thought he was actually doing rather well. He passed ten without much hassle and to his surprise. It was only when he hit yesterday's goal of fifteen that he began to feel the burn, that he felt himself beginning to slip up, his form failed him, and Astrid made him waste precious energy in doing more than he should have because of it.

"Come on! You can do better than that! Straighten that back! You want eighteen? Then do eighteen! Then give me nineteen, then give me twenty!" She was not angry but determined in her voice, encouraging with her threat of wrath and adamant that she received what she demanded. "Come on!"

"I'm trying…." Hiccup moaned with what little breath he could afford. Determined to end this agony he focused on his form, kept his back straight and slowly lowered himself all the way to the ground before pushing himself up.

"Good! Now for nineteen…"

"Ugh…" His arms felt on fire, as though they were being filled with liquid flame that threatened to set his skin ablaze. His muscles felt like they were going to separate from his bone, to spontaneously dissolve as he put them under stresses they had never been acclimated to. "Nineteen..." He repeated what he had last done last time and so achieved the same result, left with one more repetition that felt as far away as the sky. He only had to do it one more time, but this one last time seemed impossible. His muscles were trembling, his arms shaking and threatening to give out from under him. He was convincing himself that he couldn't do this, trying to make his mind agree with what his body was trying to tell it. But Astrid's words cut through all this, her determination in his success was stronger than his own.

"Come on! You've done all the rest, what's one more huh? What's one more! Come on Hiccup!"

"Twenty!" In succinct motion-almost a blur- Hiccup pushed himself up, holding in that position just long enough for Astrid to recognize his effort as valid before he collapsed to the ground, the fire subsiding in his arms as his muscles relaxed and heart rate began the slow task of returning to normal (again). He groaned as his arms returned to a state of equilibrium, not quite feeling good but no longer in so much pain that it distracted the boy's consciousness.

"Not bad…you're getting better by the day."

"Yeah, only because you're a sadist who doesn't know when enough is enough." He muttered as he tried not to eat the dirt beneath him, the cool ground and grass giving some relief to his body. He really needed to start wearing less clothing when he worked like this, otherwise it would be dehydration, not Astrid that did him in.

"Oh?" Astrid's foot negotiated around his back and inserted itself between his abdomen and the ground. With some effort she began to turn him over and the boy happily complied. Even if he didn't like how Astrid made him work so hard, he was certainly never going to pass up an opportunity to look at her beautiful face. "I'm a sadist am I?"

"Uh…uh huh…." Hiccup nodded, too much in a daze of pain and the necessary endorphin release that comes with such things to give her much conversation. Maybe he'd been an idiot for saying such things, but the delirium of frantic, trance like work tends to impair the reason of even the greatest thinkers.

"Well then, I know what I can do to make this a little less sadistic…" That smile that is both enticing and foreboding that women know all too well broke upon her lips again. Hiccup cursed himself that he could never read what she truly meant when her eyes became demur, her brow wrinkled and her grin extended from one side of the face to another. Women were mysterious creatures, all a boy like him could count on was her own innate benevolence, to hope for her grace form within when her exterior seemed too confusing. "We'll do the same number of sit ups; you did close to twenty yesterday, just do that again.

"Ugh…"

"Do it!" She commanded with some authority and so he obliged. His hands gripped his opposite shoulders as Astrid sunk down and gripped his feet. But as she did so she likewise adjusted herself. She was not simply gripping his toes with her hands as was usual, and had instead negotiated herself so that she leaned over his chest, right at where his head would come upon sitting up, holding down his feet with her legs. "Now…begin."

Bewildered and wanting nothing more than to complete his required tasks, Hiccup activated what abdominal muscles he had and pulled himself forward, back arching as he accelerated quickly towards Astrid's head. Was she going to get out of his way or wasn't-

Her lips closed the last, small distance and connected with his own. Sweet tender skin sought its counterpart, caressing each other as Hiccup held his position, caught between doing what Astrid asked of him and to embrace this sudden and welcome sensation from her. She pulled away as quickly as she had closed in, leaving him wanting for more sweetness with a want that could never be properly satisfied. "One…" She counted. "Now keep going." Her whisper was seductive, so seductive that Hiccup almost felt angry that she would get him so excited at a time like this.

"Uh…two…" He whispered as he lowered and righted himself up again, seeking her lips and finding them more than willing to fulfill his wishes. Astrid seemed to be enjoying herself as well, smiling with both pleasure and approval at his actions. Eager to please, Hiccup kept repeating himself, trying to ignore the strain in his muscles now that there was a visible reward for him for doing what he did.

"So I'm a sadist am I? You want to-want to repeat that?"

"No-no I don't…so nice." They managed a few words between actions of muscles great and small, even if Hiccup was feeling the strain in his core as he crossed the threshold of fifteen, each time he tried to lift himself up became more of a task. Still he persevered, the reward at the end, to summit his legs to find happiness at the peak drove him on despite what his body told him. "Nineteen….ugh…"

"Come on, one more. You can do it." She was as much encouraging as demanding. The sun's light broke behind her, illuminating her hair as it cast shadows down her chest that Hiccup took notice of when he knew this wasn't the right time. "Come on Hiccup…do you want it or not?"

"Mmh-mmh I want it." He growled as he tried to pull himself up, making a few false starts that only resulted in him falling back to the ground. He could feel his entire body giving out, not even her motivation of word and skin could prove enough to make the muscles fire. In the end there was only so much that his body could handle, and he felt that he was at the end of it, that his energy was used up, that his resolve had reached as far as it would stretch.

"Why? Why do you want it?"

"Because-because-"

"Because you love me?"

"Come on…" He growled at such a statement ever being stated in the form of a question, but it motivated what little strength he had left, like the few words a good general needs to motivate his tired men to enter battle once more. Hiccup pulled on his shoulders and tightened all his muscles. He pulled himself up, following Astrid's lips as they pulled away and drew him fully through the motion. Finally she stopped and allowed him to connect with hers, for soft skin to meet itself in the wet, tenuous muscular movements of human affection, an act so simple in appearance yet difficult to master. They held it as Hiccup fully sat up, free from the positions necessary for exercise and only broke the kiss when Astrid had to adjust herself as well, standing up and smiling down at him. She couldn't deny she enjoyed doing what she did, whether her pleasure lay in sadism or love.

"Not bad." She remarked as Hiccup went to stand, rubbing his abdomen to expel the inner fire that had gathered there. He ran a hand through his hair and took a long sigh as his heart once more tried to find a normal rhythm and his mouth began to crave the waters of the fountain.

"Yeah? Was that for the sit-ups or the kissing?"

"Both…more so the kissing." She once more wore that intriguing smile. Feeling that she was still of the same intent as she had just been, Hiccup approached her with his attempt at a seductive smile of his own.

"Oh? Care to practice a little more?" He brought his voice down to a whisper as he drew close, well within her personal space-not that she did not openly welcome him. She looked into his eyes, face unchanging as her fingers came up to his lips, caressing them and seeming so loving, so welcoming.

"Sure, after you give me three more laps."

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

"Good…just keep it straight."

"Oh thanks, like I _wasn't_ doing that…"

"Just saying that-"

"Just shut up and let me focus..." Astrid mumbled. Hiccup had come to learn that Astrid was not going to be the easiest of students to teach. The written word, much like the complexities and nuances of the spoken one required a long time of diligence, patience and openness to learn well. The trait of man that builds civilizations, crafts exquisite works of art and records the traditions of every culture was an art unto itself, as intensive to study as the way of the sword or bow or metallurgy.

And Astrid had no patience for it. While she was of course determined, she found it against the normal rhythm of life that something that at first looked so easy when Hiccup had shown her could require such strain. The finer muscles of her hands that had for so long been conditioned to work at full strength in the swinging of weapons now found the most impossible task in the world to be that of delicate, minute movement. While after a week and a half she had started to retrain some of her muscles for the tasks and her letters no longer appeared as vague caricatures of what they were supposed to be, her memory and the translation of ideas into coherent ideas on the paper remained an obstacle.

"Almost there…" She growled as the quill between her fingers slowly marked the vellum, one stroke after another. Hiccup could see the fatigue of her mind as her face became tense and wrinkled the more she focused. Astrid Hofferson was not going to be mocked by her own language, was not going to have the runes mock her with their poor construction at her own hand. She almost took it as an insult, how she couldn't even convey the thoughts that came so quickly to her in the calm of her mind because the muscles of her fingers just wouldn't focus correctly. So long trained for brash aggression, the delicate movements that even the most brash of languages commands turns most anyone from a fearless berserker into a refined poet, whether they like it or not.

"There! How about that?" She moved the velum over to Hiccup who slowly extended his hand to take it. He had to take it easy with Astrid on this matter-both because she was sensitive to harsher criticism, and because her body was in a not so good mood as necessitated by the rigors of biology. He looked over the dark lines carefully, carefully noting how each stroke was made and comparing it to how he knew they had to be.

He'd always valued this skill of his, even if when he was younger he found himself in a position much like Astrid's. He recounted long days of both cold winters and hot summers sitting with Gothi, tracing the runes she marked for him in the dirt before he was considered good enough to start using the more expensive vellum and imported paper. This went on for years, both before and after he was found worthless when it came to the rough physical standards that were expected of him. At first, when filled with the energy of any average youth he hated being stuck indoors, going over the runes over and over and over again until it felt like all the knowledge in his mind would be replaced with just the runes and nothing else. But as the outside world shut him away, as Berk at large made him an outcast, he began to find solace in the simple workings of his own language. He could spend whole days depicting his life through the runes, finding a secluded place in the forest where he could practice with the stick as he liked to, or better yet write short tales in his books, then cleaning the vellum and doing it again the next day. He came to be a master at the craft, if given enough time and quiet, the calligrapher's hand that he wielded could turn out exquisite works. It came in handy when he started to trace the maps and create his own. Where his fingers lacked the calloused nature of a true warrior, they could perform the tasks that in the end truly made humans what they were.

Astrid however had a long way to go. He had asked her to spell her name now that she had the runes mostly committed to memory. He'd even written it at the top of the vellum before to guide her. She had written it three times, earnestly trying her best to follow his example and to demonstrate her newfound abilities. Yet as Hiccup inspected her writing, he was saddened. Not that her work was subpar-this was unsurprising-but that rather that he now had the difficult task of telling her such. He had drawn for her ASTRID, but unlike his, her S and D were shaky and not proportional, and this carried on throughout every attempt she made. He wanted to suspect it was the vellum and quill, but he knew that would just shift the blame and would not help her improve.

"Well?"

"Well…" He let on, trying to appear optimistic even though Astrid could see right through it.

"It's shit isn't it?"

"No! No it's-"

"Gods-damnit…" She sighed, gripping the quill so tightly she threatened to break it. Her head fell into her fists as she groaned form physical pain and dissatisfaction in her failings. Hiccup knew he had to work fast and well to avoid her falling into self loathing over her lack of ability.

"Hey…come on now you're getting better at it. See?" He pushed the vellum back over to her and took the quill from her hand, pointing to her script and hoping that he could make the best of this. "You're A is getting much better and you still did all the others just fine. I know D is a tricky one, that was among the last ones I could master because you've got to keep it proportional. Same with your S, it's just in how you make the strokes is all." He kept his voice low and soft as it drifted into the upper reaches of the library, echoing as nothing more than whisper against the grand arches. The high windows and occuli at the top of the grand building let in plenty of the strong sunlight to give illumination, but the sun's beams did not reach so far down to where the two of them sat. It was just as well that this the weather only grew warmer with each passing day, denying the name of the month and demonstrating the truly awesome power that the sun wielded in these latitudes.

"It's-I mean why can't I get this? I just feel like it should-it should be so easy. The S is just three lines, why can't I-"

"Hey it's alright, you'll get it. You want me to show you again?" Hiccup got up from his chair and got behind Astrid, leaning over her as she handed her the quill again and pushed the vellum back in front of her. She sighed with fatigue of body and mind but complied with his request, too stubborn to give up and too compliant to protest much.

"Sure…show me again."

"Here…" With his right hand he took her own, disappointed that their handedness made a task as easy as writing so difficult but confident enough in his fingers that he could demonstrate his abilities all the same. His fingers slid over hers and gripped them firmly; her digits clay in his hand as he guided the quill to the cup of ink, wetted the tip and moved towards the velum again. "Now… let's try again. You start here…" He guided her fingers, warm and delicate and straining under the burden of intricate movement to where the quill made contact and began to trace a line down, then one perpendicular to the first before diving downward in a diagonal to complete the rune. He repeated this several times in a row with her, just managing to see the faint outline of a smile on her lips as she observed her own fingers emulating Hiccup's perfect script. Hiccup then lifted her hand and negotiated the quill somewhere else, going over the D several times as Astrid continued to smile, gleaming at watching her own fingers perform this elusive task."There we go…you feeling it now?"

"Yeah but-" Astrid's smile faded as Hiccup's fingers drew away, leaving her along with the quill that she could only dream of using as well as he. "-but-but Hiccup I…I don't know I just…you don't get it."

Hiccup raised an eyebrow as he fell back into his seat. "Don't get it? Don't get what?"

Astrid's face fell away from him, wrought with insecurity. Hiccup had seen this before, back in Wales when she had trouble with something so much easier that had still made her frustrated in how much practice and dedication it took. Hiccup found it humorous in a way, how the girl that could kill trained warriors with ease and who-up until her strength had been weakened by bed rest-could perform physical feats he could never dream of demonstrated such a childish anger at anything being too difficult for her. He wasn't sure if it was that her station back on Berk had made her excessively prideful and thus sensitive to difficulty, or if she had always been like this and her father had just worked her so much that she'd overcome this innate mentality when it came to physical training.

"I just don't- why is it so hard? I-"

"Astrid…" Hiccup raised a hand to her, knowing exactly what to say before she could even explain herself. Having spent so much time in close proximity to her had given him enough conversational confidence to interrupt her at times like this. The fact that he was only seldom jabbed for doing so assured him that most of the time he was allowed to do so. "It's alright. I know it's hard, but you'll get it alright? I mean…were you always so good at using an axe or wielding a bow?"

"Uh…no."

"Exactly. You know just as well as I do that the best things take some time to do properly. Why are you stressing yourself out over all of this?"

Astrid turned to look at him, suddenly assured in what she wanted to say, as though she had wanted to ask something for so long but had never been given the appropriate opportunity. "Hiccup do you-do you think I'm stupid?"

He didn't register the question at first, not by virtue of failing to hear it, but because he didn't want to. Why did she have to ask questions like these and at now of all times? He was so close to her, one wrong answer and he was getting overwhelmed and easily. To Hel with what few basic combat techniques she had shown him the last two days, they would do him no good. "Uh…"

"It's alright, I want an honest answer."

"I-I-uh…Astrid I-well…what do you mean?"

She gave a depressed sigh as she looked to the vellum, her own writing mocking her with how it failed to live up to the standards she had set for himself. "I just-sometimes Hiccup I look at or I think about you and I just-to you I must seem like an idiot sometimes. I mean I can't write, I can hardly draw I-I just feel like there's this part of me that's missing and I don't know…I guess I must look like a fool to you sometimes."

Hiccup could see just how much courage it had actually taken her to say such a thing, to confess such weakness to him when it so betrayed her so long held wall of confidence. Hiccup wasn't sure if it was because of how close they'd grown or because of the rigors of natural cycles had broken down her mental stamina, but regardless he felt himself honored and thus compelled to answer her inquiry.

"Astrid, of course I don't think you're dumb. Gods Astrid you're-you're smarter than me in so many ways. You know how to properly hunt, survive on your own, how to really, _really _fight. If I hadn't….well-well-"

"Kidnapped me?"

"That's it! Yeah well-well if that hadn't happened I don't know what I'd have done or if I'd have even survived that first winter. Look writing-writing and drawing and all that is my thing I agree, but just because I know this doesn't make me on the whole smarter than you. It's just…well we all have our strengths now don't we? I'm having just as hard a time with breaking thirty forty pushups as you are with Sand D." It's alright, you'll get through it."

Hiccup saw Astrid twinge for a moment, and he grew concerned that he may have perhaps said something that had somehow effected her negatively. But he saw that beneath the table, her arms were wrapping around her abdomen. He took this as a good sign for his own safety, and so lent closer to her, extending his right arm around her shoulder. She was more than willing to lean into him, her hair finding a comfortable place for itself just below his chin. She let out a low moan of satisfaction in his very presence, at his touch, so warm and inviting during this regular time of internal agony.

"Thank you…" She mumbled, nuzzling his chest. He held her close in silence, admiring the smell of her hair that was washed last night for the first time in a week. There was no reason to not be hygienic with all the resources available to them as there were in the palace, and they had no problem in taking advantage of the caliph's charity. He held her close for a long time; the daze of the sun's heat slowly baking the inside of the library calmed their nerves and soothed their muscles. Hiccup could have stayed in this pose forever, where calm and the senses of oneness and amicability could be felt flowing through one another's blood. Each pulse of the two hearts spoke to their desires, to be so close to one another so as to be made one. It was due to meditating on such thoughts that led to an idea forming in Hiccup's head. He forced himself to remove his arm from around her and pushed her back into her chair, an action which caused her to moan in dissatisfaction. He took the vellum and quill, dipped the latter in the ink and began to write a few lines.

"Come on…do we have to do anymore? I'm tired. Everything hurts…my head especially."

"Just one more exercise and we'll-I'll let you stop." He quickly jotted something at the bottom of the vellum. Astrid sat back up in her chair, dejected that she still had to work but interested in what Hiccup wrote. He handed her the vellum with the runes Du er smart. Og det er derfor jeg elsker deg inscribed upon it. "Here, you can understand these runes; say them out loud and tell me what they mean."

She took the parchment and leant over it with tired eyes and began to look over them. Hiccup observed her and enjoyed the subtle changes to her face as she began to analyze the runes. The way her brow tightened, her eyes narrowed as her brain once more rallied itself to begin comprehending something so simple and yet so difficult. The labors of the human mind were fascinating when put to any manner of task.

"Yo-you are…s…s…"

"That's an "em".

"Thanks. You are smart. Stop. And that is…"

"Why…"

"Thanks…that is why I-why I…what's that word?"

"_Elsker._"

"…and that is why I love you." She stopped, her breath slowly left her as she contemplated what she had read, so much of it by her own will. The sentiment was as moving as the means by which it was conveyed to her, brought to her mind by her own desire, by her own slowly acquired skill. "Hiccup…"

"Gives you some motivation doesn't it?"

"Yes I-I-aw…" She went back to as they had been before, a position of mutual proximity that Hiccup was more than willing to accept. He had thought that the phrase might inspire her, but instead it seemed to make her only want to stop more. Not out of any hatred of the craft, but in being too satisfied with her teacher to be bothered any further with the subject. The vellum and quill were left aside, objects no longer desired when more nurturing desires were so present. "Thank you…again."

"You're welcome. And hey, maybe eventually you'll be able to write the same thing to me?"

"Don't count on it."

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

"Again!"

"Come on I-"

"Again!"

"Please I'm-"

_::Do it!::_

"Come on!"

"That's it!" Hiccup lunged forward once more, trying to throw a punch with his left hand while attempting to distract Astrid with a false swing from his right. He almost thought he might make it through her barrier of defense before she palmed his left away and jabbed at his right wrist, just strong enough to cause pain but not enough to break any bones-for the worst anguish is always indecision. One jab to the gut was followed by her gripping his shoulder and pulling him close before he felt his legs go out from under him and he was once more supine on the ground for the twelfth time that day.

"Ugh…"

_::Good, you almost had her that time.::_

"That's what you've said the last five times."

_::Yes, because you were also close those last times.::_

Hiccup groaned as he looked to the sky, mercifully overcast even if the glow of the almighty sun could still be perceived on the other side of the clouds. It had been like this for the last few days, both the weather and his current condition. After a few weeks had passed and their bodies had more or less fully recovered from their wounds, Hiccup and Astrid had fallen into a rather stable routine thanks to the luxury and amenities offered to them by the caliph. The aging autocrat who was anything but seemed more than happy to let them stay as long as they liked and had little problem in affording any expense. They did notice that Hiccup's requests did tend to be processed much more quickly though, and so Hiccup would begin asking for Astrid's things in the assurance they would arrive as soon as possible.

It was close to the end of the third month since they had started to recover. The memories of Sir Felix, the Spanish, and the painful ordeal of walking so close to the precipice of death were beginning to flow past them as they worked themselves into their new routine, improving the other in the faults brought about by lives led in such vastly different manners. The necessary resources were available for them to train with, even if for now Astrid insisted Hiccup needed some basic hand to hand combat skills before even thinking about picking up a weapon again. When he did, Astrid had already said that he could have the scimitar that had been made for her, as she had already selected an axe from the royal arsenal that would suit her well. She decried the light, agile weapons as unfitting for a true Viking, and so found them the perfect fit for Hiccup.

Al-Wahdid and his army had remained in the city for the duration of Hiccup and Astrid's time there, although he had been seldom seen since Astrid's spitting episode. Martial men do tend to take such insults rather personally after all. A few of his subordinate officers had inspected the Vikings from time to time and one had even observed them training for the duration of the day, but after receiving the sabers, the Moorish army seemed to vanish from around the palace in any meaningful way. On the walls and in the streets they could be found, but aside from a few necessary guards they seemed to care little for the caliph or his workings. Hiccup wasn't sure if this was because of the seemingly universal lack of respect for the man, the fact that there was still an enemy army lurking in the hills, or a combination of the both.

"Come on, you're not going to get a break in an actual fight."

"Don't I know it." He moaned as he got up, shaking his head so that'd stop focusing on the pain all over his body, enough to make itself known but nothing that could honestly debilitate him. "Do you ever get tired of this?"

"If I didn't get tired of it when I hated you I'm certainly not getting tired of it now."

"At least you're going lighter than back then."

"Ha…" Astrid let out a single laugh as she raised her open hands, digits halfway between an unclenched palm and a tight fist. "…only because I actually want you to keep fighting. Now let's go." She enticed him onward, bringing out only a groan of dissatisfaction from the boy.

_::If you do not engage her, I will gladly substitute fighting for fighting in her place. You could stand to better learn how to subdue other dragons as well as humans.::_

"Or I could just go for your pressure point…"

_::Only if you want to admit that you do not fight with honor…::_ Toothless had come down to the courtyard to watch the two humans spar, concerned firstly for the boy's well being as well as to indulge in seeing just how humans fought, up close and personal and unassisted by their weapons. It was an art all its own, harkening back to ages long past where all conflict was settled my muscle alone, before the slow decline of strength in favor of ingenuity pushed combatants further and further apart. Like all things, he considered dragons to have developed the greatest art of fighting, utilizing the range of their fire and the innate desire to get in close to an enemy into a beautiful demonstration of strength and cunning that demonstrated the true power capable in such splendorous creatures.

"Of course there is…"

"Sure, now either attack me or else we work on takedowns instead. Which is it?"

"Uh…" Hiccup was caught with indecision, neither option sounded the best. However, much as in a real fight, such indecision proved to cost Hiccup dearly as Astrid became fed up with his bewildered stare and charged at him headlong, startling him out of a daze as he raised his arms in a pathetic attempt to counter.

"Too late!" She yelled as she beat his arms aside and caught hold on his left, pushing it into his chest as she repeated her old move and tripped up his legs. She let go with brilliant precision as he began to fall, but then leaped onto him, sitting on his chest with her knees locking his shoulders in place and his arms too far apart for them to strike at her. She gently placed her hands around his throat but did not apply pressure, almost intending to be sensuous as she touched such a sensitive area.

"…And that's how we get someone into a good stranglehold. This is the same one I used on you when I-well when I-"

"Was trying to kill me the day you found Toothless?"

"Yeah…that."

_::Ah yes, I thought that looked familiar. It looks as potent now as it does then, although my fire would be more than enough to vanquish you.::_

Astrid rolled her eyes at the draconic pride that never seemed to diminish. "Yeah, but the goal is that Hiccup won't _need_ you to do that. He's got to be a big boy and fight for himself."

"I'm a big b-" Hiccup stopped as Astrid applied a light pressure to his throat that made him immediately show signs of fear and terror. Astrid laughed as she lightened her grip, satisfied that she had gotten her point across.

"Big boys fight back instead of getting scared so quickly. Don't worry, I'll beat that out of you."

"Oh I'm sure you will." Hiccup sighed, adrenaline rushing through his system at the fake threat of asphyxiation. The boy was so conditioned to enter a state of alertness whenever Astrid touched him that he could become tired just from kissing her, though he wasn't sure if that fatigue was out of an innate fear of her, or because he truly was so excited at her touch. "Now uh…can I get up?"

Astrid leaned close to his face, as though to kiss him but holding back, mocking him with her distance. "No."

"Mmh?" He questioned, beginning to feel the blood stop flowing to his arms as her knees squeezed down hard against his shoulders. He had first enjoyed her flirtations and mocking humor when they started training, but when both body and mind were fatigued he couldn't care less for them. Sometimes he just wanted to focus on improving himself, sometimes he wanted to hint at the accepted truth of their love for one another. A balance between the two could not exist; it changed from day to day and with the strength of the sun upon his brow.

"No. What would you learn if I just got up and helped you up? If you want me off of you, _make me_ get off."

"…sure. No problem." He stared up at her, a confident smile and eager eyes already planning what she would do four moves in advance. Meanwhile, he was four moves behind, trying to think of something new and creative that she wouldn't see coming, but skeptical that any could exist. Surely she knew how to counter anything he tried, why was she doing this to him? Couldn't she just be a caring and nurturing teacher, truly concerned for his fighting abilities? He saw no such things in her eyes, only a loving sadism that thanked the gods for every moment she could spend dragging her willing student along on this trial of endurance in both body and soul.

His shoulders were feeling increasingly numb as she pushed all her weight into the knees that pinned him. His legs were mostly free since this particular position focused on getting close to the neck; her entire weight was pushing down so firmly on his chest and abdomen that he was beginning to feel pain from his old wound. He stared her down as he tried to keep a stoic composure as he dealt with the agony, his nose wrinkling as he tried to keep her eyes fixed on his. He noticed his hips were likewise free, and he decided this was the best place to start.

He threw his entire weight into throwing his legs over to the left and so shifted his body. Astrid's legs began to twinge as she tried to counter the shift in balance. Seeing that he was having some success, Hiccup quickly shifted his focus and shifted his legs to the right, putting as much weight behind them as he could and so once more making Astrid compensate. In doing so, her knee came off Hiccup's right shoulder. Taking whatever opportunities he had, Hiccup slid his arm free from her grasp and-despite the tingling sensation running along it from lack of blood flow- threw his hand towards her face while once more rolling to the left, trying to alternate sides as quickly as possible to keep Astrid off her game. His hand began to push against the bottom of her chin, but Astrid took both her arms and gripped his, beginning to push it back down.

Feeling that the hold of her pelvis was diminished, Hiccup made a gamble. He gathered his strength and pushed himself up, directing the momentum into his hand as it dived forward. With some freedom in his legs at last he bent them at the knee and continued his push, putting all his weight into the drive as Astrid began to fall back, her legs of balance as they split along his midsection and came off the ground. Boy and girl fell backward together as she landed on her back and Hiccup used his finally free hands to clasp her at the shoulders. She now lay on her back, Hiccup on top of her with determination in his emerald eyes that began to glow with a satisfaction in his own strength. Astrid took a few deep breaths as she came to grips with what had happened, how she had been overcome for the first time in…ever.

"Got…" Hiccup began, lowering his face towards her own, which began to smile as aggression to returned to playfulness. "…you."

"Yeah, it only took you a decade or more."

_:: Nicely done Hiccup, I am impressed.::_ The words of Toothless were little but background noise inside their skulls, a sensation to be ignored as they drew close to another. So close, so intimate when neither had been intended. The pendulum between aggression and happiness swung hard once again, diving from the fury of simulated combat to the pleasure of proximity.

"Hey-hey there." Hiccup whispered nervously, nervous on how to engage when both knew they were being watched-by Toothless no doubt as well as whatever wayward servant or vizier had found a place to spy on them. Even if they'd seen each other in more intimate ways and done far more serious matters, something about this position felt right, so close and loving. Hiccup just wished it wasn't accompanied by the muscular pain that was spreading through his entire body. He'd come into this sudden place of wonder too quickly and after too long a bout of pain, it was a time like this that would make him curse that all life could not be like this forever, however impossible a delusion it might have been.

"Hey there." She replied back to him, trying to maneuver her pelvis so it wasn't in quite so a provocative area as it was. Her shifts in position however forced him to adjust himself even more, and so the moment was lost as they drew further apart, soon untangling themselves from one another as they stood up, blood draining from the cheeks to support their frames torn away from such a comfortable place.

"So…"

"Not bad." Astrid began, dragging herself out of happiness and back into the mode of drill-a trait that a decade of training had made her quite adept at. "Not bad at all. Even got me…pinned there for a moment. Keep doing unique stuff like that and you'll get better."

"Huh…" Hiccup was only starting to get used to compliments on anything related to his physical strength and prowess, and was still at the stage where he considered them the greatest accolade he would ever receive.

_::Indeed, you are demonstrating great skill Hiccup. Now…::_ Toothless began to approach from the side, no longer neutral as he tail swayed and eyes alit with an interest in action.

"Now…"

_::Now we train for defense against dragons yes?::_

"Uh…"

_::Too late!::_

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

**Hello Peoples!**

**Well would you look at that, I'm finally back! Took me a while but I've been getting back on track with this story slowly but surely. I apologize if it seems like you waited a while for mostly a filler chapter, but if you caught any of the clues laying around in this chapter you know that there's a special gift coming your way next update. *nudge nudge wink wink* I will have to say though that due to the rigors of school (six courses and now several extra things on top of that going on) that updates for now are probably going to be every two weeks instead of every week as they had been. I'm sorry to do this to you, but it's simply impossible for me to do weekly installments with my schedule. Hopefully you're willing to put up with the wait though. You'll also notice that I've gone back and updated the rest of Act I of this story, and I'll probably be working on slowly updating Act II and the rest of Act III slowly as time permits. With that, hope this installment will tie you over until next time, when I'll be seeing you with a moment we've all been waiting for.**

**-Mc.**


	33. The Ties That Bind Us

Two candles burned at either side of Hiccup. They were mostly unnecessary for the moment, but they would be no doubt needed soon. Dusk was beginning to settle in upon Cordoba, the sun and its heat vanished below the sky to relieve the poor city from the wrath of that which gave it life. The shafts of light only visible by the dust they reflected were slowly creeping up the walls of the library, soon to vanish and with them steal away the natural light by which Hiccup intended to read by. The wicks and wax that burned at his sides were quite nice, made from the wax of bees and smelling of a sweet perfume, another indication of the wealth that the caliph proudly demonstrated at every opportunity.

He had already poured over this small text once before, but given the lack of reading materials in his language available to him, he would more than happily delight in going over the tale again. The end of the world always entertained, and to hear of _Líf_ and _Lífþrasir_ never disappointed in the slightest. He would laugh silently to himself at how he would have to travel all the way to the bottom of the world to find a serious compilation-however delicate the binding and vellum of this work was-of the tales of his homeland. When life was constantly under threat, there was little time to record your heritage when it was always upon the verge of destruction. Hiccup had always wanted to do something like this, to write as much about both himself and his culture whenever he got the opportunity. He had been considering doing it for several days, but the perpetual fatigue of physical training kept him just exhausted enough to pass up the opportunity.

At least today Astrid had taken some mercy on him and cut weapon training short. Hiccup did his best with a single wooden replica of his gifted scimitar, but competing against Astrid's speed and aggression simply proved beyond him for the moment. He got in a few near hits, but nothing connected to flesh. He was slowly coming along, even if it was faster than he ever would have expected.

He was also rather glad that Astrid had let him go so early, because the desire to read this text in particular had been strong in him since he'd woken up that morning. While never put into great detail in either written form or through the stories of the elders, the mere thought of _Líf_ and _Lífþrasir_, the last two humans-the _only_ two humans-to survive Ragnarok amused his memory as it dragged him into the situation. He thought it a novel fantasy and not one that he alone gave himself to. After all, who wouldn't want the opportunity to be the patriarch of all humanity once again?

That, and of course the details in the description of just how the two lovers of necessity brought the world about again lent themselves to the more base desires of a body, to-via way of the mind-inject themselves into the tales given before it. It was the most enlightened pursuits of the human race that indulged in the most basic of ones, that elevated the desires once born out of necessity to a greater method of understanding and appreciation. The mind transported Hiccup to a forest just recovering from the ravages of war, where life for all things was about to start anew and where he would find the opposite of his own body with which to restore his own people to their rightful place in _Midgard_. He traveled from scenario to scenario, position to position, trying to justify his falling into fantasy as a noble exploration of a great task, and laughing at himself on the inside for refusing to admit that he was just in a frisky mood today.

Time passed in a daze, the boy dividing it between small glances at the text to provide himself the illusion of doing something productive, leaning back in his chair as he imagined himself within the vellum, trapped in another world and between another pair of legs, and glancing from time to time at the blocks of sunlight on either side of the wall that slowly ascended as the sun itself fell in the sky. It was growing later and later, the sky that could be gleamed from the far windows had become orange and pink as it kissed the earth farewell for the evening. The heat of the latitudes that became trapped by the city likewise permeated the library. Not so bad that it caused Hiccup to sweat, but enough to make any kind of serious thought or action seem so unbearable, as being beneath thick blankets in the cold of winter, inhibitive in how much they comforted.

_"And in the bosom of the woods, locked in action to which they should, so long a task they must complete, lest destruction be complete."_

He sat forward, eyes glazing over the words as they pleased his senses. Letting time pass by as blood throbbed and mind pined, obsessing over wants that teased him during the most painful moments of the day. To observe Astrid in complete motion, every muscle alight with strain as the body worked itself towards betterment. To have to deal with her conscious soul so close to his without relent, toying with ideas that she knew satisfied them both but that were always out of reach, banished to the world of fantasy while the more serious matters of the body took precedence. At the same time such feelings felt increasingly profound, defying the fact that more important things had to be done to ready both of them for the wider world. But in the seclusion of this palace, no such world existed to the body or mind when there was always Astrid, ever present and ever tempting.

Time passed with the turning of the pages, getting to a point that while there was still light beyond the windows, it could not penetrate into the library, and Hiccup found the candles to either side of him were doing more and more to give him illumination. The soft warmth and softer light of the flames reflected off his eyes as he neared the end of the text, entranced with the runes and how he placed himself within them. He felt that he was alone in this library; he had seen nobody else during much of his time there. He felt free to indulge his mind in the text, a salvation from his body's aches inflicted upon him by the girl who made his body ache in the most unique way. Such an ache had reached its apex a while ago, and he found that his excitement had disappeared at it found no purpose in being summoned other than to amuse its wielder. He grew tired in the presence of the candles, the warmth and the flickering light soothed him as his fantasies eased his soul from within. He felt like he may just fall asleep in this womb of satisfaction, and laid his head down upon the book with closed eyes.

He wasn't sure how long he'd been asleep or if he'd been asleep at all when he was made alert of a presence in the library. He couldn't make it out at first, and thought he had been startled by nothing. But as he woke up, as he stretched his arms and back he began to recognize the distinctive sounds of footsteps, soft but with purpose as they gently echoed off the walls of the library. He ignored them as he realized his discomfort and looked at the book that had acted as his pillow, shaking his head as he tried to dispel exhaustion and considered leaving the book and going elsewhere, perhaps back to Astrid to pass the evening with her. He'd had his mental fun for the night, the only thing that held him over until she was of the desirous mood for him that he had carried towards her for so long. To reach that final culmination of natural attraction, the act for which the two halves of the human body were designed for, it was all that kept him going on long days like this.

As he stared at the text, the footsteps grew louder and drew closer to him. Interested in who could be disturbing Hiccup at this time and for what purpose, the boy turned around in his seat to see this figure.

Hisham at first appeared like a shroud in the darkness, slowly coming into vision as he entered the aura of candlelight. He was as well dressed as always, this time wearing robes of silver that resembled the many lines of grey that ran through his hair that still refused to fully concede to old age. His dark eyes were the opposite of the whites that surrounded him, his body caught between light and darkness in every sense.

"Oh-oh Caliph Hisham I-"

"Good evening Hiccup, a wonderful one is it not?" His arms extended to his sides as he greeted the boy with open palms and a smile that could only be seen as genuine to any person unacquainted with Hisham's nature. "So strange to find you alone, you are usually so glued to your dragon, your Astrid friend, or both."

"Oh we-well uh-"

"No matter, things can be admired from afar if they are worth it." The caliph seemed to almost be thinking in a philosophical manner as he came up close to the boy and slowly leaned over, close to his face but showing no interest in it in the moment, instead peeking at the book the boy had been reading. "Huh…found a book in your language did you?"

"Y-yes I did. Just been-just been reading. _Alone._"

"Ah…this is good. Reading is such a pleasure is it not?" The caliph asked as he pulled away, walking around in an unorganized fashion in the glow of the candles, humming to himself before he spoke again. "Among the finer pleasures in life is it not?"

"Yes…a fine pleasure indeed." Hiccup responded as he turned around in his chair again, wary of what he said in the presence of his benefactor by means of fate. Knowing what he knew, having heard what he had heard in both anecdote and the occasional whimper coming from obscure areas of the palace, his mouth was already becoming dry with anxiety that he worried would morph into fear.

"Have you been well Hiccup? It has been a long time since I have been able to talk to you like this, not since you were still confined to bed I think. "

"Oh yeah just…doing just great. Training…getting stronger…learning how to _fight_."

"Ah!" Hisham chuckled to himself, smiling to reveal white teeth that well reflected the light of the candles. He seemed like such a nice man on the exterior, so full of happiness and satisfaction in life. But it was where that satisfaction came from, what drove him to finding happiness that Hiccup found frightening, this desire within that unnerved him to the very core. "Very good. All noble pursuits indeed, you will be a good man one day no doubt. Still a boy, but soon a man."

"Uh…yep." Hiccup affirmed, not sure how to respond as Hisham walked around towards the opposite end of Hiccup's table, tracing his fingers along the surface so as to give them something to do. The boy watched him carefully, cautious to every word and action that came out of the man. "Going to-going to be a man."

"Like me?" The caliph chuckled again, gesturing to his whole body both sarcastically yet with some innate, personal concept of pride.

"Ha…perhaps something better yes?" He had no real interest in the half a question he gave Hiccup as he walked towards the outer limits of the candle's glow. The Viking youth kept his guard up, knowing he had to play things carefully. He couldn't just be abrasive and offensive like Astrid, he didn't have the personality to do it and he was too much enjoying the caliph's hospitality to risk blowing it now. Still, he was scared. He wasn't even sure what he had to be scared of, only that he could feel fear pouring out of every part of his heart.

"Haha…oh you amuse me Hiccup, remind me of a younger version of myself you do. Ah to be young again, back when body and mind are so filled with vigor…vigor and curiosity." He turned back to the boy, his expression had not changed at all but his words were bringing him closer to that which he wanted to say. Hiccup remained quiet as the caliph soliloquized. "Yours is a time of so much change, it was for me. But we all deal with such stages in different ways, such is what Allah determines for our lives."

Hisham began to walk back and forth, pacing along the border of the candle's illumination and the increasingly dark library. It would be night soon, and that thought only made Hiccup all the more uneasy. "Of course for me it was different. My father died when I was young, any chance for power I had was taken quickly from me. It was he with the most swords that had the power, I had none and so had no power. In a way it was a blessing, not having to worry about dealing with the Infidels or finance or really anything. Almanzor took care of everything, so what was left for me? Rest, relaxation, and pleasure for the entirety of my life, up until these last few years since Almanzor died of course, because more men with more swords want power. I never wanted power, not like that anyway."

"Oh? What does…what do you mean?" Hiccup nervously asked, fearful for answers but feeling it was the only way to drive the conversation forward and perhaps to a decent conclusion.

"Mmh…I like that you ask. Others do not ask because they do not care, do not want to deal with me. This is way it always been. When I was young-your age- I was so sad. I wanted power but had none, wanted friends but had none, trapped in this palace I have so rarely left. And of course I was a boy much like yourself, I know what it's like to go through such a time."

"Wha-what? What do you mean?"

"Ha…oh you do not fool me boy. We all go through that point in our lives where there is only one thing on our minds, whether it is right to have or not. I was of the latter, but nobody wanted to help me. There was no concern for my progeny or the family line, and so I was left to my own desires, to pursue what I wanted instead of what I needed. There was a short time when I tried to stop early on, when I went to an imam for help. Instead I was cast away, and so decided that there was no point in stopping. After all, I had nothing to do and nothing to look forward to doing, why deny myself what pleasured me?" Hisham began to walk back towards Hiccup, once more tracing his fingers along the table. The Viking sat quietly, letting the man continue but working out scenarios of attack if he needed them.

"Many condemn me, but none will stop me. Hahaha…it's funny in a way. There are time when I want them to stop me, that I might redeem myself before Allah. And yet so many other times when it just seems like so much work for so little reward. After all, if I have wants, should I not fulfill those wants?"

"Uh…"

Hisham had rounded the side of the table, with a face that _almost_ looked melancholic and begging for sympathy, but that was overtaken by other traits of his. He was neither a man nor a boy, having the appearance of one and the thoughts of another, as though two different conceptions of the world had been trapped in the same body, battling it out for control of desires, one crying for his god while the other crafted his own paradise on earth.

"Mmh…people like you amuse me Hiccup. You've certainly proven yourself a man in some regards, but you still have that young charm that I always savored. Even when I was your age, it was only the servants of your looks, of that beautiful combination of old and young traits that could appeal to me. I don't know, I just felt…trapped in that moment. Even now I wish I had it back, those easy times when the palace and all it had to offer were all that was necessary to soothe me in a life deprived of opportunity."

Hisham came up behind Hiccup, the boy was stuck looking forward as adrenaline began to flow even more fiercely. He wanted to fight back, wanted to turn around and punch his host square across the face. But fear of reprisal kept him stiff and motionless, and it was in this position that panic began to develop as he sensed the caliph's hands gently clasp his shoulders, with a sensuous touch that poorly hid malevolent motives. "You are still young Hiccup, truly you must be open to opportunities." His hands began to press in so as to rub the boy's shoulder muscles, tightening possessively. "Tell me…" His voice lowered to a whisper as his face drew in close to Hiccup's ear, lips barely keeping away from his skin. "…aren't you eager to try new things?"

A dull but loud crash came from behind the aura of the candles, sounding like a massive sack of leather and bone that had made a calculated plummet from a great height. A pattern of footfalls came from behind both boy and men, a set of four pads with sharp talons that steadily approached, a low growl reverberated off the distant walls that amplified the sound of the simple, animalistic threat. Hisham's hands loosened, his grip fell away as he moved apart from Hiccup, looking down the hallway that he himself had come from to see two glowing spheres of green closing in on him.

"Mmh, it appears you have other company. A shame, I will see you later." With an emotionless, deflated voice Hisham moved back to the other side of the table and disappeared into the total darkness, seeking the night to soothe him as Hiccup looked back and felt his heart jumping with relief as the outline of Toothless' ebony figure emerged as it fused with the candlelight.

"Oh thank Odin, how did you know I was here?"

_::Oh I was here all afternoon watching you and dozing away. I enjoy the high arches of this building, they are wonderful for sleeping on. I was awoken to the sound of the footsteps of Hisham and so observed you both. You seemed uncomfortable, so I thought it appropriate for me to intervene.::_

"Oh…well thanks anyways. And yes I was uncomfortable." Hiccup whispered as the last of Hisham's footsteps vanished out of the library. He was beginning to relax as he no longer felt himself being stalked like prey. He had felt so helpless, so open and exposed as he thought of the caliph's intentions. He had been reduced to nothing more than a body, an assortment of parts that just so happened to correspond to the wants of another, more dominant party. He shivered for a brief moment, feeling as though he had been placed under a thin veil of wanting that would forever designate him as taken were it not removed. "Gods…that was weird."

_::And yet I still do not understand what has brought all this chaos about. I understand that Hisham likes you yes? What is the problem with this that makes you so uncomfortable?::_

Hiccup groaned at the thought of having to explain his position to Toothless again, but the desire for logic over comfort that the reptile exuded quickly got under the boy's skin, and he looked his friend right in the eyes with aggression, trying to convey he wasn't in the mood. "Because the pervy old man wants to have sex with me and I'm not exactly thrilled by the idea, how about that?!" His voice echoed harshly off the library walls as Toothless lowered his ears in a scared surprise. The dragon's regret at drawing anger out of the boy quickly made Hiccup lighten up his expression, even if he was still upset at every circumstance that had recently passed him by.

_::…But…but you are a male. And he is of course a male as well. How would you ever engage in sexual actions? I cannot understand this. Humans are unable to change their sex at whim are they not?::_

"No-no it's…" Hiccup sighed as he looked back to the dragon, calming down as he was taken out of the moment and into discussion. "Yeah I know we're both guys it's just…it's just like I told you. Sometimes guys just prefer-they just prefer something that isn't a woman. Some because guys don't have the things to get pregnant, others because they like to dominate others…and I think some are just incapable of mating with girls. Just-just so happens that a lot of them-back in the Archipelago anyway- preferred younger guys about my age. Guess it doesn't matter where you go, people never change. Haha…oh boy…" He felt like he was going to vomit, imagining himself put into such a position through violence no doubt. He had once met the son of another chief when they were visiting the island on diplomacy put in his exact position, made to suffer such humiliation by a village elder as punishment for thievery. That story alone was enough to make Hiccup apprehensive to any notion of the matter.

_::This is…this is strange. So he was intending to find other means with which to mate with you? I would ask you spare me more intimate details as my knowledge is too precious to waste on such things, but I must say I find this strange. Then again I cannot say I find it totally surprising. You humans do have a tendency to take the most simple things and make them ridiculously more complex than they need to be.::_

"Mmh? And what's that supposed to mean?" Hiccup asked as he got up from his seat, needing to stretch his legs and to move his blood through his body. He needed to get out of his funk, needed to remove any sense of continuity from the preceding events and to make himself feel fresh again.

_::All I mean is that in many things-this issue of mating in particular- humans seem to take a basic concept that through logical deduction can be easily understood, and somehow add such an odd number of rules and new ideas to it, taking away from both its purpose and intention. Why is it so hard for you to understand what is the right and proper thing to do? If you were so smart so as to subdue the rest of the world including much of my kind, surely you would understand the inanity of some of these things you do…especially in relation to mating.::_

It was a decisive and unapologetic blow and not one Hiccup was willing to put up with. He placed a firm hand on the table and looked the dragon square between the eyes. "Toothless, I don't know how to answer that. We just…humans are weird alright? We do bad and stupid things that don't make any sense and we still somehow get by. I don't know how, we just find a way to make it work. It spans everything from how we fight and how we eat right down to sex. I wish I had a better answer, but I don't."

Toothless remained quiet for a moment before lifting his head and responding, failing to relent even if he was given an answer that he did not like. _::Very well, but perhaps if you were to actually begin acting in some manner of logical way as consistent with your desires you would be better able to answer these questions. After all, how well can you really speak on any matter if you only know about it in theory?::_

Hiccup felt his saliva stop in his throat and his legs suddenly go as weak as they had been when Hisham was bearing down upon him. Every desire he had that coincided with what Toothless was mentioning became forgotten. He felt like he was a child again, being asked if he knew what sex was. He felt stunned, as if ordered to go into battle with nothing but his fists. "Wha-what-"

_::For so long know I have had to deal with the insanity that is your relationship with and sexual pining towards Astrid. You delicately dance around the subject both of you, and even though I assume you have engaged in some of this ridiculous act you call "foreplay" in my absence-thankfully-you still withhold yourselves from one another for whatever reason. Perhaps if you demonstrated yourself as a true and dominating male, one capable of winning the mating rights of a strong female such as Astrid you would not have to deal with such uncomfortable and illogical advances as I have seen. This was the same problem back in Ireland where Astrid had to show her attraction towards you in order to facilitate things. Perhaps you should then show your attraction towards her so that we may finally put this spectacle to an end?::_

He didn't know what to say, Hiccup was honestly at a loss for words. Was his dragon honestly telling him to just…go for it? The beast had for so long tried to mock and make light of the budding love between he and his little half-captive goddess. Now he seemed to actively encourage it, was prodding him on to just get things over with, to rush with it. Was it even rushing at this point? This time last year it would have absolutely been so, now he wasn't so sure. They'd shown their desire for one another, and just as the dragon had said they'd experimented in releasing small doses of the pleasure of intimacy. But now…even for all he boasted to himself about the love he had from such a fine young woman, the thought of full intimacy, the full culmination of physical love and all that it represented seemed a terrifying obstacle to Hiccup, a benevolent barrier he was too scared to overcome.

"Uh…you-you're saying-"

_::If she rejects you, such is life and the process of finding a suitable mate. If you find success, all the better for us all. Go ahead and prove yourself more than prey for our host. I for one intend to get back up to those arches and enjoy a lovely rest for the evening. Good night.::_

Toothless turned and let his tail sway close to Hiccup as he vanished beyond the extend of the candle light into the barely illuminated book shelves, looking for the walls so that he may crawl up and into the lofty ceilings above. The Viking boy was left standing in awe, the amber flickers of the candle light dancing upon his skin.

He wasn't sure what to think, what to do or what to feel. He felt like he should cower away, should just go back to reading his story. But if he did that, he knew he'd be able to think of nothing but the people he wanted to be in that story, namely he and Astrid. Now the thought was in his head, and he didn't feel he'd be able to make it go away. So much had happened so fast, all that his mind could process was sex and it's complementary notions. They weren't bad thoughts, but they were his only ones. He could feel his body being manipulated by these thoughts, his arms and legs and neck all turning towards the opposite side of the library, where there was a door that would lead him back towards the palace proper and his chamber. Somebody was waiting for him there, and he felt neither he nor she could wait for him any longer.

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

Each pillar marked a moment in time that drew Hiccup further along as he walked through endless corridors back towards his chamber. His fingers were ice-cold, barely movable as all his hot blood pooled in his face, which the cool winds of the spring evening gently whisked across as his legs carried him forward, footstep by footstep. The moon was full and shone unobstructed, nearly every star in the heavens above sang with their own light. The choir of the sky guided the boy closer to a goal he wasn't sure about, luring him towards desire with every silent note.

What was he doing? He knew he should stop and think about this, but that wasn't stopping his legs and he didn't feel it would. His body felt possessed, as if some other entity had taken possession of him and was dragging him along with chains, not to where _he_ wanted to go but to where this new spirit inside of him would not rest until reaching. Pillars passed, a corner was turned, and Hiccup took a deep sigh as he noticed the familiar hallway. This was the last push, their chamber lay at the end of this hallway. For a moment he stopped, taking hold of the shackles that were propelling him forward.

He'd waited this long, he could keep waiting couldn't he? Nervousness set it, a latent fear of rejection mounted as he contemplated what the negative outcomes of this could be. At worst he'd get hit and probably get called something nasty for proposing something like this out of the blue. The best…there certainly could be a best. But how would they go about it? All his fantasies were suddenly no longer with him, his ideas and plans were absent when the prospect loomed so heavily on his shoulders among other things. Who knew, maybe she'd actually be willing, gods knew why. Even after everything, there was still something so awkward about going for the final act, the final consummation of carnal affection. It seemed that only completing such a thing would relieve that anxiety, but he felt too anxious to go through with it, either way he was screwed. Taking a deep breath and letting the cool air chill his nostrils, he allowed himself to be pulled forward once more, overcoming caution in the name of new experiences.

His footsteps echoed on the solid wall to his left and carried out to the courtyard on his right. The moon could have truly been a second sun this night, giving no real need for torches as it lit up the world in a silver glow. He could feel the experience with Hisham fading from his memory fast, the encouragement of his reptilian partner and his own futile pondering of what may come of it were already so much to process. How would he go about it? He couldn't even imagine something proper coming out of this, there was simply no way to measure how many possible scenarios could come of one question. How would he even ask the question? That was a question unto itself.

Coming to the door, he could feel his heart racing faster than any courier, he could feel the muscle asking to be free of the tight confines of his chest that weighed it down with earthly concerns. But these were not times to let the heart do what it wished, but to wish upon it to act rightly. He took a hard swallow, his throat becoming dry as he could practically feel the heat radiating off his face. While he was certainly wanting, part of him was just hoping that either Astrid wasn't there or that she'd occupy him with something else, something to distract him from this strange pull that had taken over him and that would drive him to insanity regardless of whether or not it was fulfilled. Shaking his head to let come what may, he took the door handle in his palm and pressed in, opening his mouth to-

_Oh mighty Freya…_

Astrid was bent over at first, rolling the sheets up the bed. Starting from her toes, she was looking rather plain until the eyes reached her waistline, where from beyond this dividing line of the body there was no more clothing to be found. She turned quickly to look at Hiccup with a startle but in no way went to conceal herself, instead adjusting to face the boy in the doorway that was equally as startled.

"Oh hey Hiccup, just getting bed ready." She smiled innocently at him, either truly thinking nothing of the situation or prepared to burst out laughing any moment in awkwardness. All the boy could do was stare at what he had already seen but which never ceased to fascinate him.

"Uh-uh….I-hey Astrid."

The two windows on either side of the bed were alight with the glare of the moon, the clear glass did little to obstruct the rays of silver that collected in two abstract pools of solar radiance on the floor. In all four corners of the room the candles of illumination were lit, casting a scarlet glow upon the walls. The soft light reflected upon the mosaics, making the walls and ceiling glimmer in patterns that changed with every minute movement of the flames. Every speck, every nook and corner of the room was kissed by light, as warm and inviting as the girl who stood within, hair down and just reaching over her shoulders in the same way that Hiccup's was, both of equal length and cleaned a few days ago.

"Please, it's nothing you haven't seen before." Astrid scoffed as she turned back around and went towards the bed where their scimitars were lain. She picked them up and moved them to the far right corner, giving time for Hiccup to step inside and shut the door, his mind totally blank as he tried to process too many thoughts at once. Should he ask? Should he not? Was she thinking the same thing? What the Hel was going on? "I was just practicing a little, figured tomorrow we could start working on uppercut attacks. They'll be a little tricky with a curved blade but I think you can handle them."

"Uh huh…" Hiccup mumbled.

"I mean you're improving in recovering from a downward blow and coming in from the side, it's really just an improvization on that." Astrid said gleefully as she left the scabbards leaning against the wall. She turned back towards him, the muscles beneath her ivory skin looked so vivid, every sinew of her torso had once more been trained and toned to all that it could be. She had turned seventeen years just a few weeks ago, and the passing of young age and into proper womanhood was soon to be upon her. Why now? Why now of all times did her beauty have to be so profound?

"Uh huh…"

"And then maybe by this time next week we can try using a shield along with it? Just to see how you do in coordination? I'm not one for them myself by you might find one useful."

"Uh huh…" Hiccup mumbled as Astrid drew closer, light dancing upon her skin.

"I mean from I'm seeing you do have a different style considering what you're getting decent at, might be worth it to shake things up a little." She was close now, a head's distance away as she stared into him. The two were now equal in height just as much as hair length, skin aglow with the light of flame and stars. "You'd like that right?" She asked as she began to grow concerned for Hiccup's blank, confused expression. "Right?"

Hiccup wasn't sure what to do, say or think. He couldn't process anything other than the fact that Astrid was already in half the state of undress he so desired, but he was so terrified to ask about the other half. She seemed to happy, so caught up in her own wants and probably disinterested in whatever he desired.

"Hiccup? You sure that sounds good? You'd want that right?" She was nothing but a smile and good will, so innocent in so provocative a state. She lifted a hand to his face, rubbing his cheek before sliding it beneath his ear and into his hair. "That'll be fun right? You want that?" Her tone had become soft and nurturing, loving with a sweet and tender care.

"I-I…I um…I-"

"You want that? Mmh?"

Hiccup couldn't leave her vision, was forced to confront the present that he wished could be both future and past at the same time. "I-I…I want…"

"Yes?"

"Astrid I-I want to have sex with you. T-Tonight."

The only sound that filled the room was the low, apathetic whisper of the candles. Astrid took a step away from him, removing her hand from his hair as she suddenly looked exposed, realizing her state of undress and all it conveyed. Hiccup tried to summon more words to his tongue but found his tongue had gone numb, incapable of articulation. His mind was already screaming at him, scolding him for daring to ask such a brazen question. All his fears looked as though they were coming true as Astrid turned her back and nakedness away from him, her defiance finally freeing Hiccup to mutter some rushed words of apology.

"Astrid-Astrid I-I mean no I-no I don't I-I just-"

"Hiccup…" She turned only her head to him, cobalt eyes sparkling behind a few stray hairs of gold. To Hiccup's relief she did not look like she was going to hit him, but at the same time appeared distraught, as much struck with the weight of hearing the words as Hiccup had been in saying them. "I…I…"

"No Astrid you don't…don't…" He stopped himself as he sensed she had something more important to say than a simple rebuttal, and with his eyes bade her to continue.

"Hiccup I-hahaha…." The boy was struck with curiosity as she began to laugh, her expression breaking from shock and displaying a more organized method of thought. "I-I know. I mean we both know I've always known of course…just wasn't expecting that is all."

"Yeah…kind of the-kind of a spur of the moment kind of thing." He mumbled as he ran a hand through his hair, heart still racing frantically as he tried to negotiate his way into whatever kind of conversation this was destined to be.

"I know and-and…gods…" She turned to fully face him a moment, in contemplation as she began to walk from side to side, mulling. "What uh…you-you're serious?"

"I don't know Astrid I-I just got this feeling and-and I don't know if I can really wait. I mean if you want-if you want me to I can but…please. I-I need you Astrid. I need you because…I need you because I love you and I want-want to prove it."

The last phase piqued Astrid's interest, and as her arms folded upon each other beneath her breasts she inquired further. "Prove it? As if that would change anything?"

Hiccup stammered a moment before responding, trying to both win his case and weasel his way out of it at the same time. "I-well no. No because I know we both love each other but-but Astrid I-don't you…I mean I know you've…sometimes said."

"Gods…" Astrid mumbled, shaking her head not out of dismissal but out of a general amazement of the circumstances. "Yeah of course I-well yes I'd like sex too Hiccup I-I mean come on it's not easy to just be asked for it so up front like that."

"I know I know I…like I said, spur of the moment thing."

"I see that…" Astrid began to chuckle at the circumstances. This made Hiccup breathe easier and gave him more of an incentive to drag his mind down from the sky and to focus on the world around him, on navigating to that most earthly of pleasures which required just as much practical thought as it did emotional whimsy. "Just never thought it would be like this, you know?" She walked back to the center of the room, taking a deep, nervous breath as the reality of the scenario came to fully capture her thoughts. "Just-whenever-before all…._this_ I thought that this would be my wedding night. Thought that when I did marry it would be the usual way. Certainly never thought it would be in some foreign palace gods only know how far away from my old home. Certainly not what I had in mind at least." She began to chuckle again, gathering her calm under the circumstances.

"I-I know Astrid…" Hiccup began to take a few more cautious steps forward, feeling safe and secure and still in the mood to proceed. "I mean I didn't even think…well given how I was back in the village I never thought I'd get married at all, so any chance for me was pretty much nonexistent. But uh…well…here we are." He shrugged his shoulders and smiled, finding Astrid was not quite relaxed enough to join him but was not at all irritated by his demeanor.

"Yes…" Astrid mused, still noticeably at a crossroads of decision. "Here we are indeed. Two horny kids on a beautiful night with a comfy bed…like something out of a dream." She chuckled at her own dry humor. Hiccup could see how her chest was vibrating with the rapid beating of her heart, and he doubted his was beating much slower.

"Well it-it doesn't have to a dream…" Hiccup reached down and took Astrid's left hand with his own, interlocking their fingers that were just as cold as his own. "We've had our dreams Astrid. Don't you-don't you ever get tired of dreaming?"

A smile appeared on the girl's lips, showing that she indeed did grow fatigued by the abstractions of the mind that were closer than anything yet more distant than the gods themselves. "I-I do. Tired of dreaming..." With her right hand she took his own, clasping their fingers. The two raised their combined hands together, keeping them at chest level as the air between them lightened, overcome with acceptance and anticipation even if nervousness still pervaded in their blood.

"You said-well we both thought we'd be married when this time came around didn't we?" Hiccup asked, feeling happiness overcome any fears he might have had, deeming them ludicrous to have ever had in the first place. "What do-what do you say? I mean we don't have much for a ceremony but we can…we could make something of it? After all…would be so-be so improper of us to do this without one now wouldn't it?"

They both chuckled this time, and Astrid shook her hair away from her eyes as her aura commanded the boy's attention. "Alright then…how do the usual vows go…right! Alright…Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third?"

"Astrid…"

"Just Hofferson."

"Oh…neat. Astrid Hofferson…" They both organized their thoughts at the same time, and recalling a ceremony that everybody who had ever lived on Berk knew by adolescence they spoke to each other in tandem, reciting the poetry with which the bond of life and love were sealed.

_"Unto you, with all my heart and all my strength and all my courage and all my love I pledge these things. My fidelity until my death, be it in body or spirit. Let Freya bless you, let her watch over us and protect us, let her give us children and decedents to outnumber the stars_. _ Let none tear us apart or tempt us with false promises. Always my fidelity, always my love, always my loyalty, until I can give no more."_

They both concluded their words as the last wisps of their breath reverberated off the walls, leaving only the quiet murmurings of the candles to occupy the joyous silence between them. Their hands began trembling even as they remained joined to one another, their faces incapable of hiding the jubilance that was surging through their bodies. The time had come.

"Well uh…here's to married life…" Hiccup mumbled as he leaned in closer to Astrid, lips pursed and heart racing. He could feel his blood flowing out of certain extremities and into others, his mind shifting from thoughts of love and romance to their ultimate conclusion that no matter how much one tried to idolize them, always led to the same basic conclusion.

"Indeed…" Astrid whispered as she closed the gap between them and uniting lips in a soft embrace. As she pulled away her lips she pressed her body closer, breaking the locking of their hands and stretching hers behind his back, one reaching for Hiccup's hair while another descended towards the small of his back. "…it's a good life."

The chains of desire to which Hiccup gladly submitted pulled his legs forward, and the two entwined bodies moved back to the foot of the bed. Astrid held firm when she reached the wooden frame and sent her face forward again, seeking Hiccup's lips and all the comfort they could give. He was not one to disappoint her, and the two fell into a deep embrace as Astrid's arced backwards, Hiccup following her with all his might. Her firmaments of skin swayed with each direction her torso took, and whether they were pressed against his chest or free for his eyes to view, Hiccup appreciated them regardless of circumstance.

"Mmh Hiccup…" She mumbled as she drew her lips away to breathe, nuzzling her nose against his with loving care. "…I've been looking forward to this." Her arms changed positions and met at the sides of the boy's tunic, lifting up the garment and breaking their proximity for a painful moment as the linen was thrown without concern to a side of the room, narrowly missing a candle. They were quick to drag their bodies against one another again, skin against skin, nerve against nerve. Hiccup could feel his sex hardening quickly as his whole body began to quiver with excitement and grow anxious at waiting. His left hand rose to cup the side of her right breast, feeling the stiff muscle and fat beneath the glowing skin and trying hard not to squeeze it too tight, wanting it all so quickly and in its totality.

"I know I-I have too." He whispered as he lent further in. Concerned she might come off her feet, Astrid broke away from their closeness and lifted herself onto the bed, pulling herself back towards the head and the pillows at the head. With a calling of a single hand she beckoned Hiccup towards her, and the boy was not one to say no. As a preliminary measure he undid the drawstring to his trousers before crawling into the bed himself. Astrid took a deep breath as Hiccup crawled on top of her, nervous at being put in such a position but now so caught up in the craving such a thing would give her that she did not feel like complaining.

Faces drew near again as they continued in foreplay, their groins thrusting against one another as each filled with blood and wanting. Astrid's spine never seemed to rest, slowly shifting from side to side and doing all it could to relax the girl's back, bringing the entire body into a relaxed state as biological cues beyond her control were making ready for all that they had been created for. Hiccup couldn't help but moan and gently grunt as he felt that which hated being contained demanding to be released, throbbing with excitement that was stymied by cloth and patience.

"Gods…I love you Astrid."

"I love you too Hiccup."

The one phrase was enough to make Hiccup determined that he could not wait much longer to get into things in both a figurative and literal sense. He lifted himself up from on top of Astrid and balanced on his knees, slowly working his legs up to the rim of Astrid's own pants. He could see her anxiety being shoved back into a box behind her eyes, her struggle to maintain composure and confidence was as great in her as it was with him. He tried not to think too much about what was going to happen, and instead focused on the _idea_ of what was to come. His fingers were trembling and he was doing all that he could to control them. Now was not the time for slipups.

"Are you-Astrid are you-"

"Yes Hiccup." She responded with a quick affirmation, mentally digging in with a determination to go through with this."I'm ready."

It was all that Hiccup needed to hear, and in a few motions he pulled both clothing and undergarments down. As if instinctively, Astrid began to widen her legs, breathing deeply as the shadows of the candlelight upon her thighs gave a clear indication of where the boy's-soon to be a man's-eyes should be directed. Her hips stretched, all bone and muscle in Astrid's lower legs bent inward, intent to create as comfortable a space for herself in the act to come.

Sensing the growing self consciousness of his newly made wife, Hiccup quickly got up from the bed entirely and pulled down his own trousers, dressed in nothing but his socks as he crawled back towards Astrid, body quivering with an excitement that was at its zenith between his legs. He pulled himself back up to her face, landing another soft kiss on her that encouraged the girl to move her hands, her right reaching down and clasping his penis. She was at first slow to firmly grasp it, but soon tightened her grip upon him, pulling skin back and forth and sending every nerve she touched into a rapturous state of bliss.

"Yes…yes…" He mumbled, mind too overcome with pleasure to think of anything else. "H-here…" Endeavoring both to demonstrate his new strength and his desire to please, Hiccup kept himself hoisted above Astrid with his left arm and let his right hand slither down near where hers had good grip on him. He sought the softest skin hidden beneath the hair a shade darker than that which danced before her eyes. He found the top, and doing as he had learned before began to rub around the area. It only took a few revolutions of his fingers before Astrid's head started shifting quickly in random directions, being quickly overcome with an overload of nerves. Hiccup felt his excitement pulsing with blood at seeing her writing in such a way, there were few pleasures in this world greater than seeing his lover enraptured by his own skills.

"Hiccup…" She mumbled out between soft moans, loosening her grip on him as she went to join in stimulating this most precious area. Hiccup's fingers fell away as she took over, prompting the boy to look at her for guidance. They were both certainly in the midst of something they desired, but going about this and proceeding further required at least _some _communication, for this was a two person act after all. He moved to kiss her again, sucking upon her lower lip a moment before negotiating her own lips to her ear, resting his sex upon the top of her own. That alone was exciting enough, but it would not settle the final intentions of their anatomy.

"Are you-are you ready Astrid?"

She did not even have to speak, and encouraged him only with a nod of her head, struggling to keep her eyes open and fixed on him as she fought back the urge to surrender to darkness and simply let herself be pleasured till she could be pleasured no more. With her eyes she commanded him, bade him on to unite them in the most natural way. "Yes Hiccup…please."

It was all he needed, and he redirected his right hand to his own sex and took it up, presenting it like a weapon, a tool of status he could finally use properly. He glanced at Astrid nervously for a moment, unsure of what would come and what he would feel in this culmination but knowing that he had neither the opportunity nor will to back out now. Smiling and finding Astrid reflected such a thing, he widened his own legs, drew close to her, and thrust inward slowly, cautious for the both of them. Astrid moaned with a mixture between pleasure and pain as she adjusted to the new sensation.

"Astrid you're-you're not-"

"I'm fine…" She quickly reasserted, reaching for his lips with her own to silence any further apprehension from her lover. "Keep going."

Having fully pushed his way in, Hiccup knew the only thing left to do was to retract himself and keep repeating. He proceeded with this act slowly at first, savoring every bit of sensation as much as Astrid. The feeling on their sexes united was so new, but felt as natural as breathing, the culmination of all their bodies were designed for. As he began to push forward again, he could begin to appreciate this unique sensation, surrounded by a wetness that wanted all of him, was eager to accept all of him and wanting for all that he had to offer.

He tried to always keep looking down, keeping as much eye contact between himself and Astrid as he could as he kept rocking his hips forward and back, trying to maintain his composure as he drove inward again and again. He couldn't help but smile, yet he couldn't process the exact reason why he was smiling. The only conclusion he could come to was that he was happy that he was here, with this girl in this moment in this room in this foreign land. As difficult as it was, he fought back the urge to close his eyes, to spare himself the strain of focusing on Astrid's equally happy face as she let him continue. He wanted to remember this forever, every quick grin that would peak upon her lips, every vibration that moved up her spine and made her head shake in ecstasy, every little huff of air that he felt against his face as her breathing stayed quick and excited. He wanted all of this, forever.

He could feel Astrid's legs spreading out further, and they were soon coming around to his back, locking him in and trapping him. He did not feel trapped, but rather excited that she was so satisfied with his work so far that she wanted nothing else than for him to continue. He worked his way into a steady rhythm for a while, always retracting slowly so that he could savor the feeling of himself being scraped against by Astrid's interior. He found he couldn't stop moaning whenever he felt that, no different than Astrid whenever she felt him pushing in.

"Yes Hiccup-yes keep going…come on!" She did little to keep her voice down, and Hiccup couldn't be more aroused by that. Even the sound of her voice in this moment, so wanting and pleading, so desiring of him was so much of what he had wanted. To be wanted, possess something that Astrid truly wanted be it in body or soul. Trapped within her, gradually building up speed and confidence and feeling what he could only describe as the truest love the flesh could give, he found that he was indeed in possession of something both unique to himself, and that she would forever want. He wanted to give all of this possession to her, and kept pulling himself further into her.

Astrid was making it hard for him to utter much at times, seeking his lips trying to stay as close to his face as possible. At times she was soft, at other times her teeth would come down upon him, just enough to elicit a little discomfort, but it was of the manner that is pleasing to feel when caught up in the moment of love and passion. While her right hand continued to gently tantalize the moist center of her pleasure between her legs, her left hand had slithered behind Hiccup's arm and was holding tightly onto his hair, pulling on the long threads so that she may exert all of the energy that was being released with each thrust that pulsed through her body.

"Yeah-yeah Astrid uh…uh…" He could say little more than the most basic of words and grunts as he lost himself in the revolutions of his pelvis. Intent for more, refusing to accept that his was all there was for him, he moved his right hand down again when he had nearly pulled out of her, and pulled back on his foreskin to expose his tip more fully. Astrid was still slowly rubbing around that treasure without which no sexual action would be satisfactory, and Hiccup could see that doing so was leading her closer and closer to orgasm. Not one to lose this race to bodily happiness, Hiccup pushed in again, and nearly lost his vision with the sudden change in sensation he felt as his bare tip being so totally engulfed in all of the wet wanting her sex had to offer. Slowly he pulled back, and found that the exposed tip scraping against her insides was more intense than he could have ever imagined. He would not last long now, and felt that he was catching up to her in the race for climax. His head nearly fell forward, and for a moment his forehead was buried in her neck, his entire body so overcome with this new, incomparable stimuli. He had to let his foreskin fall back, finding he couldn't handle this sensation for right now. Pleasuring Astrid was still his task, and he couldn't bother himself with his own indulgence until his task was completed.

"Hiccup-yeah-yeah!" If it were not for these demands that bordered between love and lust Hiccup didn't know if he could have enjoyed this half as much. "I'm-I'm close Hiccup…please…more…" Astrid was just as much losing control of her voice as was Hiccup, but even these simple words were enough to prompt the young novice of romance to keep pushing in, forgoing an entertainment of himself in favor of giving her what she wanted. She had already presented so much, had offered herself in the way that Hiccup knew only she could satisfy. All he wanted to do now was likewise offer himself, to use everything that he had been given to fulfill her wishes just as she had fulfilled his. He thrust in further, trying to go as deep as he could. He wanted nothing to stop him, wanted do nothing more than to reach his climax with Astrid and to ride all the way back down to normalcy with her, two new people transformed by their unity.

"Yeah come on Astrid! Come on!" He grunted, in no shorter words saying what he wanted most. Astrid's fingers kept moving, Hiccup kept thrusting, all focused on one particular area around which their entire love had become focused, had become concentrated in the one act that defined the purpose of male and female. Hiccup could feel his masculinity surging, had never before felt so powerful, so in control of everything as he did in this moment. Every push he made caused Astrid's breasts to vibrate slightly as her body writhed in pleasure that was building up to its apex. Her eyes closed and her lip began to quiver. Her legs began to tighten around his back as her own spine arced in powerful surges of emotion and hormones. She was coming undone, having built a tower of happiness that was too high and was now crumbling on its foundation, crashing down in a wave of joy.

"Hiccup…yes! Yes! Yes! Oh…yeah-yeah!" Astrid fell away from reality and into a temporary paradise of her body's own making. Hiccup could feel her sex contracting around his own as he built up to a frenzied speed, so overcome at watching Astrid fade into a high of glory. It was him, he preferred to consider that it was all him that had driven her into such a state. Her hand fell away from his hair as her body lost all purpose and function, elevated to a plain of temporary enlightenment that was never satisfying in its brief duration. She was rendered near catatonic, so overcome with the rush of joy.

Watching her, so happy and so enraptured in everything he had given her was what it finally took to send him over the edge, and he felt his thighs tighten and groin throb as his orgasm came quickly and with great energy. He pushed as deep as he could into Astrid, drawing out more groans and gasps as he too began to grunt, vision blurring before his eyes closed. He felt the tension fade away as the liquid that signaled the closing overture of their actions was freed from him, pushed inward by his slower, weaker throbs as his energy was sapped from his entire body, released in a single cataclysmic act. His arms suddenly felt weak, trembling as their fatigue combined with the exhaustion of orgasm, one that Hiccup doubted would ever be challenged for strength and longevity .

"Ah…Astrid…yes…" He let out with a sigh as the last bursts of endorphin and fluid pulsated in and out of his body. He kept thrusting into Astrid, but did so slowly in the same way that he had started, the both of them so exhausted by the completion of their bodies' desires and having had a racing heart for far too long. Both opened their eyes soon enough as Hiccup finally pulled out from Astrid and fell off to her left, rolling onto his side and extending a weak arm to Astrid's neck, pulling her towards him as they both breathed deeply.

"Just…gods…oh gods…Astrid…" Hiccup mumbled, pulling close to Astrid as she quickly maneuvered her arms around him, not wanting to let the cause of her satisfaction get away. "Are-are you alright? Was that-was that good?"

"Oh yes Hiccup." She mumbled before kissing him, so desirous and wanting even after all that she had endured in the name of happiness. "I mean I'm sure I'll be a little sore tomorrow, but that'll be a pain I can deal with."

"Oh I'm sure. I'm just-" He stalled a moment, looking into the wide pupils that bulged from within her azure iris'. All he could see was happiness, a kind he had never known but that he could see so clearly in the darkness that was slowly contracting, the oceans that surrounded them reclaiming what they had lost. He had done it, not only finally found a long nagging want fulfilled in Astrid but transcending such a thing. He thought to just before this, when they had stood as equals before the bed, reciting an oath of fidelity and love. There no doubts in his mind that now, having completed the act which they had taken the oath to perform, he had meant every word of it. It was so much so quickly, the culmination of a long and frantic evening where every emotion had to be lain bare.

"I'm just-just happy to call you my wife."

Astrid absorbed the word for a moment, during which she nuzzled Hiccup's nose in the same way they had done earlier. One of the candles in the corner had burned out, the other three were close to doing so as well. Darkness and sleep were coming upon them soon, but she would not let them fade away to darkness without getting the final word. "I know…Hiccup the husband sounds so nice too…"

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

**Hello Peoples!**

**Well here we are, at long last. Only took 320K words but we finally have the consummation and culmination that you've all been waiting for. I hope it lived up to your expectations and wants, it was my first time writing a full on sex scene but I think it turned out alright. I had been planning this out for a long time, and I think I did everything I wanted to do in this. This is by no means the end of Hiccstrid's carnal relations, and this is by no means the zenith of the story. But for now, I hope this will tie you over. Much thanks as always to "Writer for the Tylwyth Teg" for her Beta work. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and if so leave a review to tell me if I pulled this pivotal moment off correctly. Hand tight and I'll see you next time.**

**-Mc.**


	34. Assuming Control

It was the feel of cool skin that covered up warm blood beneath that roused Astrid from a warm slumber. Her head was filled with rapidly fading dreams, ones she could not understand but that left her feeling happy and content. She was slipping from a world of color into a relaxing, embracing darkness, the first stage in coming back to the world of consciousness.

She had a vague idea of where she was, and her sense perception was making her aware of the fact that she was naked save for her socks. All along her side she could feel her own body heat being reflected back against her by the linen and blankets that surrounded her. Her body had reached a perfect temperature where she was delightfully comfortable but did not sweat. If she could stay this way forever, she would.

Her left arm was squeezed tightly up against her breasts, keeping time with the slow beatings of her heart. Her right hand was elevated, surmounting a patch of skin that was not her own. She did not have to open her eyes as sense data and recollection joined in her head, and she nudged in closer to this body beside her.

Hiccup smelled like he usually did, although there was still a faint aroma of sweetness still in his hair and around his face from when he had washed the previous morning. His exhales were gently brushing against her shoulder as the man's chest slowly expanded and contracted, Astrid's arm rising with them. She lowered her free appendage lower on his side until she found the round, fleshy area she was looking for and there laid her fingers to rest.

She'd remained awake for a little while last night after they had joined together. They both had, mulling on how wonderful it was with short, disjointed phrases as they held each other in their arms. All the candles had been low in their wicks, and they both began to surrender to sleep when the orange glow of the flames finally died, murmuring things to another of love and dedication and worship for the other's performance in the task. Astrid had felt like she could go for another bout of it, but Hiccup seemed more drained and desirous to just hold his newly made wife than to go about the actual act of marriage much more.

Astrid felt herself grinning as she projected the images of last night onto the black canvas of her mind. Of joining hands with a man she could now call her husband, united in body and soul. She'd never thought life would turn out this way, but she reminded herself that she'd been thinking that way for the last year and a half now. Life was what it was, and she was going to more than gladly accept these circumstances considering the joy and stability they gave her. It was such an odd yet happy thing, to be both owned and owner, half of a whole. She didn't know how that was going to play out or if anything between the two of them was going to change at all. But whatever it was, they would go about it together as they had pledged to do.

But the pledge and all the sentiment that it conveyed was only half of last night. The images portrayed on the screen were switching as she came to lay on her back and felt her entire body surging with an anxious excitement. They'd both been nervous, she could have smelled the anxiety pouring off of Hiccup. At the same time, there had been such confidence from the both of them, a desire to go through with things no matter what and see it through to the end. And when the end came, it was a satisfying conclusion. Granted the more she awoke the more Astrid could feel a warm soreness between her legs and into her lower abdomen, but it was the thought of what had caused such a thing that made it all worthwhile. She could feel herself wanting the more she relived the occasion, snuggling her head into Hiccup's neck as she remembered what it had been like to be with him, to combine their bodies as fitting the greater designs of anatomy.

Granted she was feeling a little sore, but the more she concentrated the more the pain subsided. She was becoming hopeful now, eager for Hiccup to wake up so that they could indulge themselves again. She was still making up her mind about whether or not to lay back again or try something different, there were so many possibilities after all. That, and she had to time things well around her bleedings. She was lucky Hiccup had put things into motion when he did. Besides, this was the best time to have sex anyways, it was when the body was best prepared, most ready for the act. Most fertile and capable of-

_Oh shit!_

Her eyes opened immediately to find Hiccup's still closed, his face calm and serene. Her thoughts of love and passion were dispelled by reality, by fear and a return of the soreness to her groin. She felt her blood stalling as the thoughts raced through her head. What had she been thinking? How could she have let herself be taken at this of all times, to give herself to her own wants when the risk was this great? Curse romance and all its pleasantries!

She removed herself from the feel of Hiccup's skin and started to roll towards the edge of the bed, too anxious to lay still at a time like this. She rolled her legs out from beyond the sheets and paid little attention to the change in temperature that tingled the hair and skin alike. She stood up and stepped forward, only to feel something cold dripping down her leg. Wincing and with a less than thrilled expression she looked down to find a clear, sticky feeling fluid falling out of her sex and onto her thighs. Wonderful.

"Well…that's uncomfortable…" She growled as she looked to the closet of their cloths and awkwardly walked towards it, desperate for some kind of cloth or towel to wipe herself down.

_Stupid…stupid…stupid…dangerous…stupid…_

Her pattern of thought couldn't stop panicking and trying to shut down the panic at the same time. She had felt so good last night, so eager to get things over with, so caught up in the excitement of perpetual dedication and bodily passion that she couldn't think straight. She didn't have the time or will to think about the passage of weeks and fertility when her lover was on top of her, giving them what they both wanted.

She pulled the closet door open with aggression and let it strike the wall with a loud clang. She reached for the nearest towel and quickly caught the small trickle of fluid that was soon to reach her knee.

"Disgusting…" She muttered, realizing this had been in her all night. The windows were shining with a rich gold as the sun struck them fiercely, indicating to her that it was only slightly after sunrise. Her breath was trembling now as her thoughts began to race, predicting a bulge in her abdomen, pain, and an unknown future that she was quickly realizing she wasn't prepared to handle. Calming herself was proving futile as she began to panic that all the time she'd spent sleeping had been an opportunity for Hiccup's seed to do what it had been designed to do.

"Damnit…Freya when I said make me fertile I didn't mean right now." She growled as she reached for a clean pair of undergarments in the closet, quickly pulling them on as a rustling began on the bed, the sheets moving as the body within realized that it was alone and bereft of the warmth of a lover. The blank mind panicked, and so aroused the dreamer from darkness. Astrid turned to see Hiccup's eyes open, slowly at first as his pupils adjusted to the light, but it did not take long before those green orbs-still drunk on the pleasure of last night- looked up to an Astrid that stared at him with a frustrated, panicked expression.

"Mmh…m-morning-good morning…" He mumbled, his throat audibly dry from sleep. Astrid only stared at him with a silent indignation. She wanted to yell, but couldn't find it within her. After all, she had chosen to put herself into this situation, it's not like he was solely responsible for this. Hiccup was sitting up, swallowing hard to relieve his throat as his eyes continued to adjust to the light. He was still dragging himself into consciousness, and this gave Astrid the time to get some proper pants on as she mumbled a greeting to him, her mind too fraught with a desire to find a basin in which to bathe.

"As-Astrid?" His voice came from behind her, stronger now as he laid his hands on the sheets, a few pieces of linen separating his digits from the item that was putting Astrid in such distress. Why did pleasure always have to come with consequences? "You alright? You feeling well? Nothing's wrong is it?" He was smiling, pleased at the sight of his newly made wife still half in the nude, still with him on this beautiful morning. He couldn't comprehend her fear, saw and knew nothing but the happiness of love and it's most physical form.

She turned to address him, clothed in much the same way she had been the night before. "Yeah. Yeah I'm…doing fine. No. No I'm not just-just nervous."

Hiccup's mirage of a perfect world quickly dissolved on hearing Astrid's voice in the negative. "Nervous? What do you mean?"

Astrid shook her head, immediately killing the desire to put things simply to him under the knowledge of how serious a matter this was. "Hiccup I'm-I'm fertile. And you…well you-we and…well considering what we did I might get-get…pregnant." Her mouth dried up as the last word passed across her lips, and it seemed to have just the same effect on Hiccup as his legs folded in on themselves and his neck fell. His eyes drained of charisma and started focusing on too many things to be contemplated at such an early time. For a moment, Astrid found relief in that, to know she wasn't alone.

"Right…that's right yeah you-wow. Didn't-didn't think about that." He sighed, taking a hard swallow as his right eye just caught her presence from his corner. She was still so beautiful, as gorgeous in the rays on the sun as she was in the splendorous glow of the moon. He wanted to be back there, caught up in her majesty and beauty it was last night, nothing to think about but love and pleasure. But the idea of love was often starkly in contrast with its realities, with the consequences that the body endured because of the mind's desires.

"Yeah. Guess we got caught up in the excitement. Just-gods I'm scared." She walked to the bed and sat at the edge, looking over her shoulder to Hiccup, knowing she had an ear to listen. "I-I mean I won't know for a good few weeks and-well I mean I could always just…" She straightened her neck as a thought crossed her mind. She had never considered she'd want to use it, never thought it was going to be important knowledge in her life until now.

"Could just what? Astrid?"

She turned back to look at him. "I mean if I can find some juniper I can-maybe stop things once they start. There's got to be some around here somewhere right?"

She expected her question to be answered directly and quickly, wanted support and comfort. The longer Hiccup remained quiet, the more nervous she became. Her eyes narrowed on him as Hiccup fell into a brief bout of contemplation. "Hiccup?"

"I know what you're talking about Astrid…" He started, his voice fallen and solemn. "…I spent time around the midwives as well you know. I know what that does just as well as you do."

His words hung in the air a moment as Astrid sat stunned, refusing to believe that he was actually putting up any resistance at all. "Wha-what's that supposed to mean?" Both of them readjusted themselves on the bed, Hiccup sitting more at an angle to look at her directly and Astrid crawling onto the mattress and sitting to look at him without strain on her neck.

"It means exactly what it means. I know what juniper does to girls Astrid, it makes them bleed when they're pregnant and then the pregnancy stops. Jorgensen's wife even made me bring her some one day and told me all about how she'd been using it ever since she was married-that's why they only had one kid in twenty years. You want to give yourself a miscarriage."

"Yeah? And what's wrong with that?" Her voice was starting to slip into concern, perplexed that it was even an issue to be brought up. If he knew what it did, why was he even bringing it up? It was as if he wasn't thinking on this issue at all in the same way that she was. How could he not? Did he not understand the possibilities that threatened her?

"It's-" He started and stopped, trying to organize this thoughts that wouldn't put him in a head on head battle with Astrid's emotions. "It's the thought that…that might be our child. _Our _child_._ Gods I wasn't even…I just wanted sex I didn't…Thor help me this isn't what I wanted." He cupped his hands over his face a moment, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he groaned in frustration at being hit with so heavy a topic at a time like this. He continued to speak as he pulled his head out of the darkness he had created. "Who knows? I mean we don't but maybe it's already there right now, just beginning to form."

"Yeah…and?"

"Astrid I-" Hiccup sat up a little more in the bed, straightening his back and twisting it to wake himself up. "Look I…I mean that is-we could have just made a child. Yeah I know you only feel it at the quickening but-but there's got to be _something_ in there right? And it would be ours…"

"Hiccup, where are you going with this?" She genuinely had no idea. On Berk, juniper was prized for it's capabilities, giving women who could not birth but who could still fight the chance to perform the latter and always needed function while leaving the former-if equally important task-up to those more capable and worthy of producing offspring. No issue was sought about it, she didn't see where her new husband was coming from here.

"Look I know it sounds crazy but-but I mean to me it seems that if there's something there and then-then if you take juniper you'd be wiping out whatever's there. And that-well that I don't like." He looked straight at her, mustering up his courage to make a bold statement. "If that ends up being the case, then no. No I won't allow you to take that juniper."

"Won't _allow_ me to take it? What and you're suddenly the boss of me just because-because maybe I'm pregnant? The Hel's gotten into you!?" Her anger began to build, hearing the exact opposite of what she wanted to come from Hiccup's lips. And now he was even claiming authority over her? About this? At this time? He was certainly the oddball, but this was coming from out of nowhere.

"Astrid-" His voice quickly grew as authoritative as it could, dropping low into his register as he tried to make his case. "This is serious-"

"I know it's serious…so then what are you complaining about? Just let me take the juniper and it doesn't have to be serious anymore…how is this so hard to understand?"

"It's not that easy!" He gave her a frustrated, nearly angry face that made Astrid collect herself a moment, realizing this conversation was in no way going to go the way she planned. "Did I not _just_ explain why I'm against this? We could have just made a child! Gods I-we weren't even thinking I-I don't even think I could handle that decision.

"Well _I_ can…that's why I'm taking that juniper whether you like it or not." She got up from the bed and went for the closet again, intent on getting a shirt and her boots and then setting out for the market section of the city, the image of one particular herb caught in her mind. Hiccup forsook modesty and crawled out from beneath the covers himself, his naked form showing no desire for love when animosity was so present between them.

"Astrid!" He barked, eschewing fear as he drew the sword of morality. "No! I won't let you do that!"

"Oh come _on_ Hiccup!" She turned to him, wrath unchained and fierce in conviction. "Do I look like I'm in the mood for carrying some freaking baby around for nine damn months?! You really think-you know, considering the fact that we're essentially nomads living with a dragon- we're in any shape to support a child? By Freya Hiccup… we're both just seventeen and-gods I can't even think straight right now!" She turned and slammed a hand on the closet before reaching a hand in and grabbing the closest tunic of dark blue. She continued her tirade as she began covering herself. "Don't even-don't even know why I let myself get seduced…should have known better. This is all your fault…"

"My fault!? Excuse me but I wasn't exactly the only one on that bed last night. I seem to remember a certain someone saying they wanted sex last night too, and that person just so happens to be standing in front of me. You could have backed out if you wanted, gods know I gave you the opportunities! And you actually want to say this whole thing is _my_ fault? Really? I'm not the one with a body that has to deal with these things!"

"Yeah that's right, you _aren't_! So then let _me _do whatever _I _want with it then."

"But that juniper…" Hiccup began to walk forward, every footfall heavy and showing no signs of relent in either his thought or character. His voice softened again, more pleading than angry, motivated by ideas Astrid had never wanted to consider. "…is not going to be effecting you now is it? It's going to-if you're pregnant it's going to stop-"

"So what?!" She couldn't believe he was fighting her for this long, couldn't he just accept what she said and be done with it? She found it insulting he tried to have any authority over her like this. "It's not like I'm taking one that's already born but poorly made and leaving it outside to die…_that_ disgusts me. It's not alive yet, what's the big deal if I kill it?"

"If it weren't alive it wouldn't be growing in preparation of being born now would it?"

Astrid went to respond but was stuck, stymied by a simple fact that carried with it all the weight of a philosopher's mind. Quickly she changed arguments, hoping to ignore the current source of tension and to harness her emotional energy that was being built up with the force of an ocean storm."Oh so what? You've got to think practically here Hiccup…I am and you're not. We're gods know how far away from home, living in the palace of a guy who wants to ream you out more than you've wanted to do the same to mine, in a city that's in a state of war and with no certainty for our future. And you honestly expect me to deal with everything a pregnancy comes with and stop this whole life of adventure and exploring by being stuck with a kid the rest of our lives all because of-because of what exactly? Why does this even matter to you in the first place? It's not like _you're_ the one that has to deal with everything I might have to go through…what gives you the right to say anything about what I can or can't do!?"

The overbearing strength of Astrid's rage seemed to have its effect on Hiccup for a moment at least. Astrid could see her new husband wrestling with his own thoughts as the spear of pragmatism finally breached his moral armor. Astrid felt she had scored a victory, had finally gotten through to him so that she may be left alone to do as she pleased. She went into the closet to fetch her boots and when she got back up Hiccup was still mulling. Accepting his lack of movement as a space to embrace, Astrid went to the bed to sit down and put the footwear on. The lover she was now regretting having taken last night finally turned, retreating to the more sullen voice he had used upon waking.

"Astrid…you know I was the only one right?"

"Mmh?"

"Out of all my mother's pregnancies, I was the only one that -somehow-lasted all nine months and was born. And pretty much since then Loki has been trying to kill me one way or the other. I had so many sicknesses as a kid and of course there was everything else piled on top of it…I'm pretty lucky to be where I am right now."

"Yeah…?" She asked as she began fitting her first boot.

"Well what else do you want me to say? I care about my own life, so I care about other lives…especially when I had a part in making that life. I just-the way your treating it it's like-it's like you just don't care about it."

Astrid felt a heaviness come upon her heart as the words sunk in, and she did not reach for her other boot as she looked up to Hiccup, struck with an accusation that she knew was fair considering her tone. "I-Hiccup come on I-of course I care…"

"Then why do you want to destroy something I care about?" Astrid was caught in a quiet awe at the faint, emotional trembling in Hiccup's voice, the kind that would be an overture to a bout of tears. She was seeing it now, the great concern in his face, the cold, frightened tightness of his body that his bare form perfectly exposed. It all came through so perfectly, this emotion that she could finally see now that she was no longer clouded by the rage that was her own. She took a deep sigh as she tried to reformulate her arguments, trying to use empathy instead of fury this time.

"Hiccup it's not like I _want_ to do this. It's just-just this all happened so quickly and everything's just so messed up right now and I…well this seems like the only option to me. I'm sorry, but that's the way it is." She stood up, and with her height uneven by virtue of her single boot hobbled over to Hiccup, whose solemn face would make her cry if she didn't relieve it soon. "Hiccup…I know what I said when I took that vow last night. And yes maybe-certainly at some point I'd love to have your children…" Hiccup's face immediately came to attention, intrigued by the weighty words. "…but-but this…this right now is too much for either of us. It's just like I said, we were two horny kids on a beautiful night with a comfy bed. And if it so happens that this is what I have to do because of it…you know I have to. Alright?"

She held a hand up to his shoulder, his muscle relaxing at her touch but the rest of his body giving no signs of its comfortableness at the situation. "I just-I just wish it didn't have to happen…if it does. It just-it just doesn't seem _right_ to me."

Astrid hummed as she took her husband in her arms, burying her head into the nape of his neck. "I know babe. And I'm sorry that I have to do this to you." She still wasn't quite grasping what it was that made this issue so repugnant to Hiccup, but she considered empathy her best course of action to move beyond this issue.

"Guess…" He started with an almost sick sounding, deflated voice. "…guess…guess from now on we're just going to have to be more careful. Time things better. Just-I don't want this to ever happen again…assuming what you do actually does what it's supposed to do."

"I agree. We'll just-well you're lucky I've got an easy cycle, we'll still find some good times to keep celebrating our wedding now won't we?"

"Yeah…yeah…" Hiccup mulled, hating the position he was in. Hating life, the processes of nature, the wants of his body, all the functions and inconveniences of the same body that love was forced to endure. "Just-just promise me one thing…you know when you're supposed to stop bleeding right?"

"Yeah?"

"If you're going to take the juniper, just wait until then to take it. That way if you do bleed, I won't know whether or not anything…well anything happened. Alright?"

Astrid looked up to him with regret, finally mirroring his own emotions as she came to understand them. She knew she still didn't entirely and that if left to her own devices she would have taken the juniper as soon as she found it, but the feeling of Hiccup's racing heart within his chest did start to soften her stance. She never thought it could mean so much to someone, never pondered deeper into this sensitive matter. She didn't feel guilt, but certainly enough empathy to take the matter more seriously.

"Alright. I promise." She murmured affectionately, smiling at him with a wish that they could just move on to better thoughts and a happy day ahead.

"Good." Hiccup whispered, bringing his arms up to hold Astrid within them. He looked down to his naked form, so odd looking now that the time for urgency had passed. "In that case…I should probably get dressed."

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

Sundown was a beautiful time of day for Berk. From a purely aesthetic appreciation, they were beautiful occasions where the earthly tones of the sea and land were contrasted by the brilliant pastels with which the sun said farewell to the day. Pink was always Ruffnut's favorite. It may have been the way that way because it was just so different, so bright and cheerful and unlike most anything that was typical to Berkian life.

While the evening air resembled that of autumn, it was instead spring that was upon Berk at long last, the island having been freed from winter's grip that always seemed eternal. They had survived it again, somehow. The food stores had taken several heavy hits last month, a whole season's supply of barley going up in smoke thanks to some wayward dragon fire. Over a dozen casualties too, not to mention scores of injuries. The battles were becoming ever more ferocious, frantic skirmishes to save what one could and as much of your neighbor's property as you could afford. And with all that chaos, only six children had survived their first few weeks, with one or two more certain to die with a year or two anyway, such was the ordeal of motherhood.

She had done well for herself if her own pride and the accolades of others were any indication. Her parents were doing less well, her mother was halfway along with what would hopefully be a new sibling for the household and was becoming increasingly immobile, and her father was beginning to feel flames in his bones flaring up from time to time. He was not as good with the spear as he once was, and this worried both siblings as they began to see weakness in their patriarch. Regardless, her own accomplishments were winning particular appreciation from the village elders and even chief Stoick, who managed a rare smile for those times whenever he saw her present her collection of heads after every battle.

The chief had seemed to change his mood since the middle of winter, since a few strange, warm days in the middle when the island hosted a magnanimous visitor with a seemingly indomitable spirit that no matter what life threw at it could not be totally stifled. The presence of the tall man with curly blond hair had left a strange presence in the chief, a presence that was unidentifiable but that had slowly come to dominate the island

Astrid could especially feel that sensation tonight, and it stopped her from enjoying the rivers of pink the flowed on the sea horizon. Now though, she felt as though she was going to finally realize just what this ominous chill was. She had been invited to Stoick's house this evening for business that was not disclosed. She was not sure exactly why it was only her and her alone, normally her father would have been present for an occasion like this. She knew she wasn't in trouble, she and her brother (more so she) had begun to outgrow their pranks as the island's situation got increasingly desperate. There was no time to laugh at the misery of others when everyone was in misery.

On her belt she sported a dagger she had picked up from a fisherman last summer. His face still gave her delight on some nights when she was bored. She wondered if she would ever meet him again, that strange man with an accent of Ireland whose face spoke to the restless soul that lurked within. Of course, it was not the fisherman's good looks that had made the blade most valued, it's true meaning was only revealed to her after one chaotic evening when Stoick and Haldor had read the strange engravings near the hilt of the weapon and growled the name of a boy who had taken away the island's pride what seemed like a lifetime ago.

She felt funny knowing this was Hiccup's own blade. How it had gotten into the hands of the fisherman she could not be sure of. At times she had speculated that it was a trade, at other times that the boy had been robbed or maybe killed for the piece. Whatever the means, it was now Ruffnut's. She found she gradually came to appreciate the craftsmanship of the blade, how it refused to rust much at all and held its edge remarkably well through heavy use. It almost made Ruffnut regret all the time she'd devoted to making the boy's life hard. Maybe if they had more of his weapons laying around they could have done better this winter.

The boy-more specifically what had become of him-was likewise a fantasy of Ruffnut from time to time. More specifically what had become of her best friend who was hopefully still with the little runaway after all this time. Had they even survived this long? With a dragon under Hiccup's control, Ruffnut thought it possible, especially if Astrid were willing to eventually help the boy of feeble body along in whatever adventures they partook in. And what kind of adventures? What kind of escapades awaited the young couple at the edges of the world?

And then there was that notion of the couple itself, one that Ruffnut couldn't help but linger upon as she tried to get in as many glances of the brilliant sunset as she could. It couldn't possibly happen, yet it seemed so inevitable. Like a paradox that had to conclude in some way that it shouldn't. They were so different, yet this made them seem so perfect for each other. Two perfect halves, each completing the other's imperfections. A romantic notion that in a world absent of her own love to savor, Ruffnut enjoyed dwelling upon.

The magenta trails at the edge of the world glowed with a truly beautiful radiance tonight, as though they were scared that they would be ignored later if they were not savored in this one moment. The cold, refreshing sea air dragged a taste of salt to deep within Ruffnut's body. She stood on the outside of Stoick's house and knocked on the door, disrupting the hollow voices of a small conversation within as the girl took one last look at the sunset. Her friend was somewhere beyond those horizons, and the most Ruffnut could hope for was her safety and comfort as she remained on this dismal rock, destined to fight as her mother and her mother's mother had done.

"Ah Ruffnut, excellent. Enter." The high, almost cheerful voice of Haldor Hofferson greeted her as the man's large frame disappeared inside the hall as soon as he was done speaking. Ruffnut followed behind him to find the hall was rather poorly lit with only three candles, the light of the sun doing little at this point to illuminate anything through the small windows placed above the angle of the solar rays. Haldor took his seat at the table where Stoick sat at the head and Gobber sat at the other side. A stool was open for Ruffnut at the opposite end of the table, directly across from the chief.

"Uh…Chief Stoick…hi…?" The air was solemn and contemplative, beyond her comfort zone. It often felt like this when she was scolded for causing trouble, and she was beginning to think that maybe this was exactly it. It was a condition that had been forced into her ever since she'd started throwing rocks at people, to fear the quiet, contemplative and brooding faces of adults. Not the best fear to have as she was beginning to take on the same mantle, but she'd have to get over it one step at a time.

"Good evening Ruffnut, please be seated. You're not in trouble."

"Yet…"

Gobber tried to relieve the situation with humor, not that the single quip did much to calm the girl as she took her seat and made herself comfortable, looking around to three of the village's authorities. Two were appreciated and revered, the other simply feared and so respected because of that fact. Stoick appeared the most collected of the three of them, portraying the calm, collected attitude that had made him such a good administrator of the village all these years. Gobber was less a man of introspection and instead the follower. A sound and wise one he was, but he lacked decisiveness on his own, preferring to help others than to have others help him. And then there was Haldor, a man who saw himself and only those things directly related to himself as worthy of his time and contemplation. Ruffnut wasn't sure why he was here besides the fact that he was easily Stoick's equal in fighting capacity, and thus automatically one of the most respected men on the island.

"Ruffnut…" Stoick started, his voice low and rumbling like the sound of an ocean storm. "What do you think happened to my son and Haldor Hofferson's daughter?"

The blue eyes of the Hofferson that was mentioned by name turned to Ruffnut, eager to hear what word would leave the girl's lips. The blonde felt trapped, surrounded by angst and with everyone wanting her to mess up in some way. As little respect as she had for most people, she didn't need to have any respect for Haldor to still fear his gaze that would kill if it could.

"Uh…wh-why?"

"Just answer please. I want to know." Stoick's voice didn't change, a single inquisitive tone that was at equal times comforting as it was worrisome. He had a one track mind at the moment, focused on nothing but Ruffnut. There was attention, and then there was focus, and Ruffnut hated having the latter addressed to her.

"Uh…"

"Do you think they're alive?" Haldor interjected, trying to focus what he could see were the scattered thoughts of the girl.

"Y-yes. I think they're both alive. Somewhere. Don't-don't know where but I think we can assume they're alive." She turned to face Haldor directly, hoping to get his focus off of her. "I think the two of them are smart enough to survive on their own, Astrid especially."

Stoick leaned back in his seat, rubbing his beard and mouth with contemplation. "I see…" He stood up and made his way into the less illuminated part of the house, rummaging through some things to both Haldor and Gobber's surprise. Ruffnut wasn't sure what to think at the moment, so caught up in the silence of the chief that she felt that diverting her attention at all might cause the tension of the moment to erupt into chaos. The chief stepped back to them shortly after with a leather bound book that looked like it had seen better days. Stoick opened it up to a set of pages and handed it to Haldor, knowing that he was the only one who could read what could still be read.

"What the-Stoick how long have you been keeping this a secret of yours?" Haldor sounded irritated as he flipped through pages with descriptions of a strange looking dragon and odd looking contraptions. His eyes grew narrow and the tips of his grinding teeth could be shown as his mouth vaguely contorted to represent the words on the pages.

"Hiccup left it behind when he fled. I didn't find it necessary to share until our most recent information arrived."

"Yes…I can see why. Odin…granted he was a pretty useless fighter but these are-these are crazy."

"Well obviously one of them worked because he took down that Night Fury. If one of them-"

"Wait…" Haldor cut Stoick off, caring little for what disrespect he gave. "These pages are pretty weathered, as is the writing. Where exactly did you find this Stoick?"

The chief stalled a moment, indignant that they had to focus on some truths and not others. He sighed with irritation before he spoke. "I found it along with a bunch of Hiccup's clothes and other accessories in a small cove near the center of the island last summer when I was hunting. Given that it was pretty well concealed we missed it during our hunts across the island and I-"

"Wait!" Haldor stood up in a sudden bout of quickly bellowing rage, just as Stoick had been expecting. "You mean to tell me you found the spot where that damned son of yours kidnapped my daughter and you've been waiting nearly a year to tell me?! Was there a carcass? What else was left behind? Where was this cove?! Tell me damnit!"

Stoick slammed a hand down on the table to silence Haldor's questioning. "That's enough out of you Haldor! All that was there were some of Hiccup's belongings and some of the dragon scales, as well as some things implying that Hiccup spent some times there such as a small fire pit. _Nothing_ from your daughter was there…except her axe. It was discarded, meaning that she probably went with him on the condition that she left the weapon behind."

Haldor's eyes erupted into a maelstrom of fury. "Her axe?!" She left it behind?! Why in the-why would…no…she would have to…how…" His mind got sidetracked with questioning. Ruffnut sat quietly, not intending to disrupt the delicate situation. She still wanted to know why she'd been summoned here in the first place, she hoped it was for something a little more important than watching another one of Haldor's emotional tirades.

"Haldor!" Stoick barked, in no mood to deal with the Hofferson patriarch's constant emotions. "Enough. Tomorrow if you like I can lead you there and show you, but it's nothing of importance. We're here to focus on what's important, and what's important are the sketches in that book. Understood?"

Facing a collection of six eyes that all wanted to move on from this situation, Haldor conceded a defeat of conversational dominance and sat back down, grumbling to himself and vaguely accepting Stoick's offer to see the cove tomorrow. The chief nodded with confidence as he slid the book down the table to Ruffnut. "Just look at the drawings." He said.

Ruffnut took the bounded parchment in her hands and began to flip through it, admiring rather intimidating looking designs of catapults, ballistae, and even more original machines of war and conquest that looked beautiful yet so intimidating at the same time. She smiled grimly as she flipped through them. She didn't need to know the runes to know that these contraptions could do a lot of damage to beast and building alike. They appealed to her destructive side, that part inside most people that was the same as the teenage boy that had drawn these. Destruction and chaos, mayhem and war. All the joys of anger and brutality that were so pleasant to watch from afar but that were a burden to personally endure.

Then she got to the last several pages, with lots of words as well as several depictions of a dragon that she had never seen before. Along with these came drawings of a contraption that looked like a wing, forged of steel and leather that seemed to fit along with the beast. The dragon itself didn't exactly look like it would be willing to carry two people, but still could if the situation mandated. If her hypothesis was right, then this would likely be the best depiction of the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself she would see the rest of her life.

"Wow…" She whispered at realizing the magnitude of the images she held in her hand, and felt her stomach bubbling with excitement at imagining the destruction some of these war engines could create. "This is-Hiccup drew these?"

"Indeed. It seems that he recorded a lot of his time with the Night Fury in that journal, but then left it at the cove when he and Astrid departed." Stoick sat down and placed his elbows on the table, extending his arms to Ruffnut as he continued to explain. "Now, why _exactly_ he did leave it behind we do not know, although Gobber has a good theory that the leaving behind of this, a large amount of clothes and Astrid's axe found at the site were all to lighten up the load on the dragon when the two of them flew away with it."

"Flew away…" Ruffnut mulled on the two words a moment, getting distracted by the truly awesome thought of flying on dragon back. However the little runt of a person that was Hiccup had ever managed such an outlandish feat was beyond her, but if the journal was any indication he certainly had the brains and nerve to be so foolish. She admired such recklessness, no wonder Astrid had gone with him.

"Ruff!" Stoick snapped his fingers and dragged the girl back to reality after her brief mental excursion to the clouds. "Focus now…we have a bigger issue to deal with here."

"Oh-r-right! Yes bigger issue I-why was I summoned here exactly?"

Stoick's face became firmer and more serious, and this was reflected in the eyes of the two retainers to his sides. Gobber seemed to only worry on the inside, while Haldor appeared more worked up, nearly excited at the topic that was to be brought up. Ruffnut ignored it, he was always a rather crazy man after all.

"Ruffnut we-do you remember during the winter when King Canute visited the island?"

"Yes."

"Well…the king brought us dire news then. He brought warnings that the three of us have kept secret between ourselves for now for reason as to not start a panic among everyone else. He promised to send more reports later on as he gathered forces from Ireland, Scotland, and from-well what remains of his holdings in the lands of Danes and Geats. We just received one of those scouts two days ago."

"Al-alright…? What does this have to do with me?" While this was all quite serious and important, Ruffnut didn't see the importance of herself in all of this.

"We're under attack…that's what…" Haldor mumbled, drawing a scowl from Stoick and a look of surprise from Ruffnut as she looked to the chief.

"Attack? What?"

"Ugh…" Stoick shook his head at Haldor, who was a complex ball of emotions at the prospects presented to him. "King Canute came here spreading news that there was an army that had defeated that of his father in England-hence why he now calls himself king instead of prince. This is an army that has apparently devastated much of the homeland and has since been doing battle in Britain. The most recent report indicated that it had just defeated the Scots and is going about raiding that countryside right now."

"Um…okay. Why-do we think that it is coming here?"

"That seems to be the most likely course of action considering the makeup of the army." Haldor interjected again.

"Yes…_thank you_ Haldor. As I was getting to, Canute reports that this army is comprised of both men from the East, as well as…well….dragons. An army of dragons."

Ruffnut had difficulty accepting the fact that "army" and "dragons" could work together in the same sentence. "Wha-"

"Yes. I thought it crazy too but Canute and his messengers swear by it. They are reported to be in the range of thousands, and there have consistently been words of a mammoth one that supposedly controls them all. I still dismiss them since no such thing can exist, but even an army of small dragons is problem enough. If they keep marching North at their current pace they will likely be here in a matter of months."

"Oh…that's-that's pretty bad isn't it?" Destructive pranks were one thing, but the seriousness of this conversation was making Ruffnut's stomach contract and twist into forms that defied physics.

"Yes. Yes it is. We-I-furthermore believe that Hiccup-and likely Astrid- are a part of this army as well. If we consider the most reasonable options for them when they left Berk, they would have first gone to the homeland where they could still communicate with and be around familiar people…assuming the dragon doesn't eat them of course. From there we could assume that they would have continued Eastward and certainly met this army at some point. If Hiccup was willing to befriend a dragon and ride it, then he is most certainly capable of joining an army of dragons, and considering his ideas for war engines as shown in that journal the army would be more than willing to take him in. And looking-well looking to come back to Berk with less than noble intentions." Stoick's eyes turned away from Ruffnut as he considered a multitude of failures on both his behalf and that of the village, a lifetime of abuse that would make anyone a little vengeful, regardless of personality. It made sense to him at least.

"My daughter would rather kill herself than march against us…much less with an army of dragons." Haldor moaned as he folded his arms, laying back in his chair as he grew increasingly frustrated with the conversation.

"Shut it Haldor…" Gobber grumbled, allowing the space for the chief to get back on track in his speech.

"Thank you Gobber. Now Ruffnut…considering this circumstances we are faced with a grave situation. That is why I had you summoned here. Now this dragon army has certainly done a great deal in defeating these many armies including that of the late King Sweyn. But we are of course something else!" Stoick's voice grew in size and strength, inflating with pride that was equal parts genuine and mustered for the sake of dramatic effect."We battle dragons all our lives, certainly much more than English or whoever else this army has conquered, even our brethren in the homeland. Tomorrow I will be dispatching Haldor and others to the other tribes of the archipelago to discuss our plans to confront this army. You…for you we have planned something different."

"What? You mean I'm not fighting?" Ruffnut put on a show of bravery and a willingness to fight, but on the inside she was terrified at the prospect of even looking upon this army, let alone going at it with nothing but a spear and shield. She'd enjoy having some of Hiccup's war machines to use, but she knew she could never manage to recreate one.

"No…no I'm afraid not. You see this shall be a battle unlike any you have ever seen. And because of that fact, we wish to evacuate those elements of the island that will only get in the way and be at risk of harm from this army. When the time has come, we want _you_-the best warrior of the young generation-to lead them away from Berk during that time. King Canute is trying to raise an army of his own on the mainland, we are making plans for you to go there. Understood?"

Ruffnut mulled it over a moment, an opportunity to be a coward that was almost too good to pass up and without the usual repercussions for timidity that Berkian culture enjoyed imposing upon people. It felt dishonorable, yet at the same time seemed like an honor in and of itself. An inglorious opportunity for glory.

"Yes, I understand." She smiled in affirmation, confident that even in her absence from battle she could be a contribution. But what about Hiccup? And Astrid? If they show up here with an army of dragons…"

"A traitor is a traitor." Haldor exclaimed, and he was not shut down by either of his comrades as the subject was raised. While Stoick appeared to weigh the option heavily inside, he kept a stern face to Ruffnut.

"As chief of Berk, I am entrusted to aid in its defense against all foes, no matter they're-they're relation to me or anyone else." He shot a glance to Haldor, who seemed to prefer thinking about taking an axe to Hiccup rather than the other possibility that he would come face to face with his daughter.

"Oh." Ruffnut thought for a moment about the very probable circumstance, of father against son. She began to think over the chief's proposal, that Hiccup and her best friend had joined with this army that now threatened their home. It was a reasonable and fair conclusion that she could get behind, and one that now made her regret romanticizing the two in light of this new information. Feeling a clever thought arise within her, she slowly slid a hand towards her belt and with an authoritative face withdrew a blade with three runes at the bottom of it. "In that case, you'll want to return this to him."

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

**Hello Peoples!**

**Sickness been hitting me the last week but I still managed to get this thing done. Hope it lived up to hopes and expectations and got you looking forward to further chapters now that we're getting more involved with events up North. Much thanks to "Writer for the Tylwyth Teg" for her Beta work. Hope you enjoyed and if so feel free to tell me. Stay cool and I'll see you next time.**

**-Mc.**


	35. Guidance

"You're sure this will work?"

"Take prior, and your menses will be flush the next day. But do not use much, will cause pain and may make you infertile forever."

A vial of purple glass, in which a thick syrup slowly sloshed around was presented to Astrid. It had a wide base and a thin flute, but considering the small dose she would have to take each time she considered that it would last her a long while. She took the vial from Abulcasis' bony hand and held it close to her, looking through the colored glass and marveling at the strange looking concoction within.

"Doesn't look to tasty…"

"Not the point! Also safer than and more effective than juniper. You do not wish to be sick again do you?"

Whether through the course of nature or the actions of a few berries, Astrid bled as usual. While she still enjoyed the act that had led her to a stressful situation, she and Hiccup agreed to wait until well after her next bleeding, so that she could better time things and be certain that she was infertile at the time. Her own tactics to keep herself unburdened had however not gone as well as hoped. On top of her usual agonies by the nature of her anatomy, she had taken more of the juniper than she should have, and had dealt with chills and vomiting for several days.

Abulcasis seemed to be in good spirits to take care of her, enjoying having his patient back to take care of. The warm weather of Cordoba in spring made it possible for the windows to be opened and for fresh air to work it's few but marvelous wonders on the girl made sick by her own means. It was only yesterday that she was beginning to feel better, and now the physician saw fit to see that she would never risk herself to such an overdose again.

The news of her sickness had also reached the caliph. He had come to see her and was soon to learn of the cause of her malady. Hiccup had puffed his chest and looked particularly proud when the topic was brought up, wishing for it to be known by all that he had won the right to bed the love of his life. Hisham had shown little outward emotion one way or the other to the act, but all could see his dejection on the inside that his one possible advantage in finding decadence in his male guest vanquished as another, better possibility for satisfaction made itself available.

She couldn't stop grinning at the possibilities this one vial could do for her, a failsafe for when and if other methods failed. She wasn't too fond of the idea, but she knew it was for the best. No sense in trying to maintain a life of flight and adventure when preparing to bring a third life along for the journey.

Hiccup and Toothless were out at the moment, enjoying what had become a ritual for them to fly around the city's walls and then further still, intent to enjoy the beautiful weather and to keep up their flight skills. She wasn't sure how long they'd be allowed to remain under the caliph's company, but they were still working with the belief that a comfortable bed and easy access to food was better than nothing. They agreed they wouldn't be there the same time next year, but there was no point abandoning leisure right now.

"Oh…just…thank you so much Abulcasis." She slid the vile into a fist and went to give a compassionate hug to the physician, who despite his sometimes cold personality was warmer than Astrid had expected, and who embraced her all the same in an act of comfort. "I was so scared…"

"Yes-yes it can be scary. Such is way of body. Hopefully do things better next time."

"Yeah…and now I've got this-"

"Use sparingly. No point in wasting it when you be safe all your own." Even when comforting, Abulcasis was still a man of medicine first and foremost, and sometimes that lent itself to care of the body more than care for the person. "Besides, you should be careful with being fertile, it is a gift to cherish."

"I know." She mulled as she pulled away from the physician. "Just…can be so frustrating sometimes."

"Yes. From what I see in my life, love often is." He broke away and went towards the window to the right of the bed, enjoying the view of the garden outside in full bloom. Birds chirped, the wind brushed away the powerful heat that wanted to dominate the entire city. "Like steel. Love is like steel. Beat iron too slow and you get nowhere, a sloppy mess. Beat too hard, and it will quickly shatter. Love must be tempered in its own fire. Slow and tiring process yes, but it is the sword made slowest that kills fastest. This is what I learn from times like these. Some people want to show their love too quick or too often, then suffer the natural consequence and complain, fools. Only true lovers know their purpose in life, are equals in that purpose."

He turned back to Astrid, smiling with appreciation for her presence. "You seem like you want this, true love. This is why you must be careful, both of you must be to not drive each other apart."

Astrid smiled at the compliment that was equally a challenge, but one that she felt she could handle easily enough. She'd asked for this, she wouldn't live with herself if she didn't follow through on everything. "I will." She moved towards the other window to the left of the bed, using the mattress as a barrier between her and Abulcasis. "I wouldn't want to drive Hiccup away. Not now and certainly not so far away from home. Out here, we need each other."

"And if you were back home?"

Astrid considered the question a moment, having never thought about returning before and what it would mean for the both of them and especially for Toothless if they did. "I-I mean I don't know if we ever will. Like I've said, Berk isn't exactly set on changing its attitudes towards dragons…and I was certainly one of them. I mean if I can change maybe they can too…but I don't know really. I think there will always be a part of me that thinks of Berk as home…and then there's the me that begrudgingly came along on this whole escapade. Sure I've had some bad experiences…had some good people die that shouldn't have…but I feel I've grown more in this last year and a half than I did in all my youth on Berk. There are a lot of interesting people in the world…like you."

"Ha…you flatter me my friend."

"No really! I mean-well first of all Hiccup and I would probably be dead if it weren't for you. And just…you're a good man Abulcasis. That's all I have to say."

"And it is all that needs to be said." Abulcasis raised a hand towards her. "In my life, it is all I need to hear. I live to serve, all I must know is if I do my job properly, all that matters." He took a long sigh before looking out the window again, coughing to clear his old throat and keep it going under the strain of prolonged conversation. "It is a beautiful day, if it is like this tomorrow then I will see to taking a walk, have not been in some parts of the city in some months. These old bones will not stop till they die…haha…"

A loud galloping, the sound of many feet in frantic motion started to come from down the hallway. Both Astrid and Abulcasis turned to listen more attentively to the rapidly approaching noise, and started moving towards the foot of the bed as the thuds grew louder and louder and the gasping sound of man could be heard from the other side of the walls and in the outside hall.

"Astrid!" Hiccup's voice called out as the thudding stopped for a short moment before the chamber door was flung open, revealing the young man and Toothless in a disheveled and panicked state.

"Hiccup? What is it?"

"Start packing. We're leaving, now!" His eyes were frantic, as though he had seen the dead rise. Toothless remained calmer looking, but Astrid could tell this was less a consequence of his demeanor and more the natural appearance of his reptilian skin.

"Hiccup calm down! What's gotten into you?"

The boy took a few long pants, less than he would have otherwise taken had Astrid not beaten him into some manner of physical strength. "Toothless-so Toothless and I were flying-flying outside the city walls. Enjoying the sun, beautiful day…not important. Dust. So much-army. Big army. Coming this way and fast-battle formations. Thousands…maybe tens of tens of thousands. Al-Al-Wahdid…his army…had to warn him but can't find him. They looked ready to attack the walls, we need to get out of here and fast or else we'll be dealing with them-dead."

He took a hard swallow as he stood up straight and looked towards the door, cast ajar and opening into the still hallway outside. Astrid listened closely for some kind of alarm, but could not yet hear anything. They could barely hear the loud, rolling calls that filled the city five times a day when they were within the palace grounds, so removed it was from the rest of the city's chaos.

"Just trust me, they're coming. I saw ladders and everything, they're ready to storm the walls. Too-too many to fight…even from the sky they were massive looking." Hiccup stumbled forward to the dresser and flung the doors open, pulling out a well worn but still somewhat functional wicker basket that had survived nearly a year and a half with them. He threw open the lid and started tossing clothes within it frantically, moving with the alacrity that someone was holding a knife to his throat.

"Hiccup…Hiccup easy!" Astrid rushed over to him, placing a firm hand on his shoulder and for a moment calming his anxiety. "By Odin calm down. You said they were still outside the walls right?"

"Y-yeah…"

"Alright, well we're nicely situated near the center of the city. Even if they're fighting over the walls right now, it will be a good long while before they get here. Just relax alright, no need to panic. Besides…" She pulled out the boy's scimitars from within the dresser, with which he was still not particularly efficient but had been making steady progress. "We've got these-and Toothless-to help us out if any of them _do_ get this far."

_::In the entire realm of flatteries, the assertion that I could defeat an army of soldiers certainly seems an appropriate one, thank you.::_

The words within his head made Hiccup smile a moment, and it was this that made him sigh calmly as he looked Astrid in the eye. "Alright…sorry just got carried away."

"I understand, now let's get ready." She pulled the clothes he had pushed into the basket out and began to fold them, drawing a playfully derisive eye from Hiccup who instead set about the task of getting the smaller belongings that would go on top of the firmer base of linen.

"Abulcasis…" He started, remembering that he had barged in on some kind of interaction between the two. He assumed it had something to do with the purple vial Astrid had placed next to her as she worked, she'd said something about Abulcasis having a special potion for her before he'd set out that morning. "I'm going to recommend you get going. They were come this way from the North, the South gate should still be open for you to flee from. Move as fast as you can and head for the hills maybe-or maybe we can give you a ride…I don't know yet."

_::If you in any way think I am subjecting my back and wings to the weight of a THIRD person you are sorely mistaken. Need I remind you how long it took me to adjust to the TWO of you?::_

"Come on Toothless after all he's done for us-" Hiccup's appeal was cut short by the low, gravely snickering that came from behind the lips of the physician. His face soon broke apart into a grin and an almost mocking laugher, deriding the Viking man for even mentioning what he had.

"Haha…oh you amuse me. No, I do not run. I did not run last time, I do not run now." He stared out the window again, taking a long sigh that seemed to carry all his stress away in a single act. "Such a beautiful day, a shame war should ruin it."

Hiccup stood motionless a moment, dumbfounded by the physician's lack of concern. "Ab-Abulcasis did you not hear what I just said? There's an _army_ coming this way…don't you want to…you know…run?"

Abulcasis smiled and snickered at the insinuation. "What you think I am Hiccup? I am an old man with old hands and older feet. Run? That is for you. Besides, who is going to take care of the others when all is done? So many spears to come, some will need my help for sure."

Astrid had stopped as well in her work a moment, eyeing the physician with curiosity as he continued to stare out into the courtyard outside, grinning at the sound of a few birds singing a quick melody before fleeing their perches, no doubt sensing the calamity that was coming. "You should still pack, this conflict does not concern you. It is about-oh Hisham, I doubt he make it this time…he becoming old as I and with less reason to live. No matter, Allah will judge him all the same whenever and wherever he dies." He looked to the two bewildered Vikings, whose instinct to run from an army seemed a foreign concept to a man as aged and experienced as Abulcasis. "Now pack, like Hiccup say there is not much time."

_::Well if he does not desire to live so be it, less strain on me and one less thing to worry about…::_

"Toothless…easy." Hiccup mumbled as he caught the physician's eyes, so apathetic to the chaos of the world. Astrid got back to work, quickly moving back and forth across the room to grab other medicines and a few loaves of bread that would fit on top of everything else. "Abulcasis…"

"My purpose in life is to heal, if there are coming opportunities to heal then running away would be against my purpose. Haha…funny question is who is braver, he who fights a sword with a sword or he who fights sword with nothing…such is my way."

"But Abulcasis…" Astrid began as she layered everything in the basket and threw the lid down, buckling the iron latch and dragging the container over towards Toothless. "…aren't you-you aren't scared of dying?"

"Ha!" His laugh was genuine, mocking her question as though it were the inquisition of a child. "I could not be alive if I did not die could I? If I die, it will be the proper time. These are what Allah wills…" He pointed to Astrid, more specifically her abdomen. "Life, so Allah wills. Death…" He pointed back to himself. "…so Allah wills. Such is life. To worry too much about these things is pointless, for they will happen regardless. Best to do what Allah wills until that time. As should you, and I see that Allah blesses you with means to get away. Do so, and good luck."

He stared out the window again, taking a deep breath. The air of late spring was so sweet when not mired by the miasmas of the city. The palace was a paradise of gardens for the moment. Perhaps soon to be a place of bloodshed and violence, but there was no point in worrying about such things when there was still beauty to be admired. "Hiccup…I assume you will not be warning Hisham?"

"Yeah…he's not exactly high on my list of people to save. If he survives, tell him we appreciate the care he supplied us though."

_::You seek to show appreciation to this man whom approached you with propositions that frightened you? You are a complex one indeed Hiccup.::_

"Well…besides all that he still took us in…at least he's got that going for him." Hiccup mumbled as he took his scimitars and affixed them to his hips. He helped Astrid fit the leather sling of the basket over her shoulder as Toothless got up from a sit and used his tail to swing the door fully open.

_::We should still move quickly. They had many horses from what I saw, if they breach the gate quickly the cavalry will no doubt make their way here as quickly as possible.::_

"I agree bud. Astrid?"

"Same. Just-" She looked around the room for a posterity's sake, lingering on the bed for a little longer than anything else and smiling. So many weeks and months just resting, staring at the ceiling for hours at a time, listening to Hiccup's voice for hours as their bodies recovered from one chaotic night now so long behind them. So many long days improving the other, only to come back here and hold the other in their arms as they drifted off to sleep before repeating the same thing with the coming sunrise. Just over a week ago they'd made this place the area of their final unity, pledging fidelity with body and soul. It was disheartening to leave it behind so quickly. "…Alright, let's get going."

Abulcasis looked the husband and wife up and down for a long moment, no doubt likewise reflecting on the time he had spent with his visitors and special patients with fondness. "Allah bless both of you, remain faithful and strong."

"We will." Hiccup smiled. "We definitely will."

_::Of course, not like the dragon wants a blessing or anything. Then again I suppose such are the benefits of having a mate, it makes one more appealing for some reason…::_

"Come on Toothless…time to go." Astrid grunted as she worked to better adjust the weight of the pack to her shoulders.

_::Just as well, I have grown restless being confided to this area this long. I seek fairer winds. Let us go.::_ The dragon slid through the door and proceeded to one of the arches in the corridor next to the garden, sliding through one of the gaps and eagerly awaiting his human companions.

In the room, Hiccup took Astrid's hand for reassurance as they walked towards the door, solemn that the occasion had to be what it was. United, they looked to Abulcasis one last time. "Abulcasis…" Astrid spoke up, feeling a greater debt to the man than Hiccup-even if he had originally been the one closer to death upon their arrival. "Thank you. For everything."

"Yeah, I'd be dead without you…I'll always remember that." Hiccup added.

The physician raised his hand, not to dismiss their thanks but feeling too flattered by it. "As I have said, I live to serve. My work is done, but I feel you have more work to do. Go then and enjoy whatever Allah has planned for you."

"We will. By Thor we will." Astrid affirmed, thinking of different gods but knowing the man's sentiment all the same. The two Vikings slid through the door as they waved their caretaker a last farewell. Abulcasis looked at the door as it closed on him, a soft farewell to many months of growth while the city around them gave a harsh welcome to a coming day of destruction.

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

Eret hated whistles.

The way they assaulted the ear, how their high pitched din whirled around the room and rose above everything to make itself known. They were an annoying instrument that existed only for the purpose of being heard. They were a self centered instrument, that existed only to draw attention to themselves with their shrill calls.

He couldn't be too upset with such things today though, his mind was elsewhere. Two days ago he'd been out at sea, doing the job that he'd at first been forced into and now went about by his own will, eager and excited every time he could see this island disappear beyond the horizon and he was surrounded by nothing but the dark blue of the ocean. This had been a brutal winter, but apparently not as bad as it could have been if the villagers word meant anything. Navigating sea ice and its many hazards was already a challenge in and of itself, capturing dragons while in the midst of it all was even more of a risk.

Then of course, there was his little rival, his enemy in the skies that all manner of beast commanded. Eret still wasn't sure how it was possible to ride such a large beast as his foe did, or how the beasts of the sea would head the call to attack when so far removed from the call of his foe. Those had been the scariest of encounters, when the sea serpents and what these Northerners called Thunderdrums would crawl up to the ship from beneath the brine and trying to attack them. Those battle became bloody and quickly for both man and beast, and Eret was sure that he would soon be either dead or deaf if such encounters continued.

Twenty one beasts had been caught over the winter, brought back to this island and from there held captive until some of the other transport boats could take them away. The system was working much better in recent months as Drago's army sailed across the North Sea and passed by to the south of this island, sparing it the ravages of war. Eret heard bits and pieces of the army's progress on occasion from the captains of the other boats and general knowledge that gradually made its way everywhere as any idea does.

Fire, death and destruction had cut through the ice of this winter. The Danes, Norwegians and Geats had all suffered greatly as the armada smashed the coasts of Scandinavia and made its way to England, where the Saxons and now the Scots had witnessed the true extent of Hell's fury as wielded by Drago Bludvist. Drago brought nothing but annihilation and devastation to everything he touched, the only thing being left in his wake was the question of why.

Eret truly had no idea himself. He'd always been too scared to ask about the man's motives when he had been stuck at the camp all the way in the land of the Rus, and now that he actually wanted to know, nobody seemed to be quite sure themselves. Eret found that everybody else in his position was as equally unaware as he, only following orders by virtue of a man with a mountain sized dragon being one best left unquestioned. In a way it all seemed so pointless, so much destruction without doing anything afterwards. Most commanders and kings conquered land, subjugated its people, tried to build an empire that would outlast the previous one. Drago seemed to be disinterested from the idea, craving only fire and ice and seeing such weapons of nature thrown against every kingdom and person he could touch, with no intention of doing anything afterward. He was a curious case of a man, but not one to be questioned so long as he held all the power.

The whistles kicked up again, making Eret flinch as they kicked up into a fast melody that made sure to access the highest register of every instrument. He growled for a moment but was distracted as the door to this hall of drink and women was opened and another woman entered the fray. She was tall, in her middle years but with youthful enough skin that would make simpler minds think her a virgin. Brown hair and green eyes drew the man's attention for a moment before the door closed and the sun at the woman's back disappeared. Without this aura, she appeared just as any other woman, and so Eret returned to his own thoughts.

Just two days ago everything had been fine at sea. The ice was breaking up, spring and its comforting embrace were finally coming to these northern latitudes. The sun had been warming, it's glow touched like a lover's hand. They weren't even looking for dragons then, they had enough on board to satisfy Drago's seemingly insatiable desires for now. Then it came down on them like it always did, this phantom person that rode beasts more worthy of Satan's lair than the mortal domain.

He considered it a miracle that after all this time they hadn't had another major fire on a ship like the one that had killed captain Asger and given Eret his position as leader of this motley assortment of crew men. And once again Eret's many improvised tactics of avoiding the inferno had succeeded in keeping the beast far enough away for it to utilize it's greatest weapon.

The person-the thing-that rode it was a different monster all together though. It had jumped down from the creature's back and leapt into combat with them wielding a force that always surprised the entire crew. For just one person, the masked one fought tenaciously and with a ferocity that made any numerical advantage mute. One man had his knee cap pulverized by the vigilante's staff, another died from a crushed windpipe. Then the dragon had made a risky descent and the assailant was carried away to safety, crossbow and ballistae forcing it to evacuate before it could unleash its fire.

Two men down and with none willing to replace them, Eret feared that he would soon run out of the necessary numbers to keep up this dangerous work. The man with the smashed knee cap had the lower half of the entire leg amputated, and the dead man was buried at sea.

"Hi can I get one of the ales from the upper cask please?"

"Same old same old, you don't change much."

"No reason changing what I like."

The woman who had walked in had sat next to Eret, with a low voice full of a controlled cheer. She seemed a person that enjoyed life, but that was not unaware of its cruelties, a person forged out of a zeal for existence and an appreciation for how delicate it was. The man behind the plank of wood that constituted a one sided table was quick to bring her the desired drink that she took graciously in her fingers. She looked so sincere in her presence, a genuine person without secrets.

"Ah…" She smelled the beverage at first, enjoying a long draw of the sweet, fermented aroma. "…a rare treat but a worthwhile one."

Her words hung in the air a moment, begging to be validated in the same way as the whistles that had momentarily died down in the space between melodies. Feeling it might lift his spirits from dwelling upon the loss of life he'd endured, Eret swallowed and spoke.

"Such things tend to be." His tone was still morose, and he regretted not lying with his tongue when the woman turned to him, thrilled at the thought of speaking herself. She seemed to have a particular eye for him for some reason. Eret thought it strange, but then again the world was filled with strange people.

"You want some? I have plenty silver to order another."

"No thanks, already had some earlier and I'm not in the mood for drink."

"Huh, suit yourself."

She took a long sip of the liquid, showing little restraint or care for how powerful it was. Eret couldn't help but admire it. "Ah…that's the good stuff. So, you from around here?"

Eret took a long sigh, accepting that he was going to have to exchange frivolities with this woman. Such were the sacrifices for clearing the mind. "Not really, my men and I are just staying here for a while. We're trappers. How about you? Don't think I've seen you around here before and I've been here a long time."

Such a question seemed to bring out the best of smiles from the woman. "Me? I'm a traveler from…Normandy. Originally from there, but I've spent a long time up here, traveling from island to island."

"Normandy eh? Can't say I've ever met one before. Nice to meet you." He extended a hand to her. "Name's Eret, son of Eret."

Once more the woman's eyes glowed, the green became ignited in excitement. Eret figured it was from the muscles of his arms and his clearly dashing good looks. What woman could resist them after all?

"Valka. Just Valka."

"Well Valka, you're certainly far away from home then. What keeps you out in these parts of all places?" Eret was growing curious. She seemed like a nice enough lady, certainly of a better quality than the receptacles for frustration and lust that were more common in this place. While such things were less of a concern for the man at such a stressful point in his life, he couldn't deny that for an older woman, she had enough class and a strong aura about her to give the younger vixens reasons to shame themselves.

"Well what can I say? There's just something about these parts that I like. Granted-granted it's hard sometimes what with the climate at all but there's just…I don't know. Can't explain it really."

"Nah, I know what you mean." Eret responded with a raised hand. "I've only been around these parts about a year or so, but there is a certain beauty to it all. The sea can be so serene, so clear sometimes. And then there's the rest of this island…I've explored it a bit and it's just so perfect, totally untouched by this little town. Got to say it's remarkable. Granted it's nothing I haven't seen before back where I was born, but it's always different wherever you go."

"That's a nice way of explaining it." Valka complimented him before she took another drink of her ale. "Well then I have to ask where you are from then of course."

"Me? Ireland. Downpatrick specifically. Parents considered themselves natives of the land, but my father's line originally came from your people's and his brother taught me your language. It's come in handy all my life, for that I am grateful."

This peculiar woman named Valka nodded in appreciation of his story. Eret was finding it hard to not keep looking at her. She seemed so composed, so full of poise and a care free embrace of life. At the same time something seemed off about her. She almost seemed _too_ genuine, as if wearing a mask of lies. Maybe it was just her way.

"I'm sure it is. Now you said you were a trapper…what do you trap?"

Eret mulled on how to say this for a moment, considering how to put such a matter to a woman of such a distinguished tongue and posture. "Well…dragons. My men and I are dragon hunters, been doing so since we got here…with some struggle of course."

"Oh?" Valka seemed to show no real surprise at the grandiose vocation which Eret found surprising. All he or any of his men had to do was say the words "dragon trapper" and they would be flooded by men looking for stories and girls looking for lovers. Yet it appeared to do nothing to her, as though he was just another man who performed as menial a task as the fisherman he had once been. "That sounds like tough work. I guess the struggle is all in wrangling the things isn't it? I mean…one burst of fire and-well you're meeting a grave at the bottom of the sea."

Eret nodded grimly, the image of the that first horrible inferno would never leave him. "Yes, but my men and I are good enough that we don't have to fear the wild ones much, we seal up their mouths pretty quick. It's-it's the _rider_ we have to worry about."

Valka's eyes widened at the emphasized word, her mouth opening in awe. "Rider? You mean a rider of dragons?"

"Yes! That's exactly it…rotten bastard's killed or wounded a number of my men and plenty more before then. Flies out of the sun on this giant beast…four winged monstrosity. First time it attacked it got lucky and incinerated the boat…but all this time we've managed to keep it from doing so again. Still had some failures though. It-sometimes it can stop us from trapping some dragons if we're in the middle of work or-here's the tough one-will attack what buildings we use here and free some during night raids. And then-then it has even started attacking _other_ ships that are transporting the beasts elsewhere! It never stops. Whenever I can get my hands on this piece of sh-this vigilante I'm intending to strangle him to death…slowly for all the pain he's caused me."

Eret's pulse was racing as he whipped himself into a frenzy of excitement and anger. He took a long sigh and rolled his neck, trying to work the stresses of his work out if his body as they came to a head. "Sorry…just…you know."

"Oh yes, I understand." Valka nodded as she took another sip. Her left hand had balled up into a fist, Eret took this to be a sign of frustration at his outburst. "Sounds like you've got your hands full then. But what's this about a transport system? You're transporting the dragons elsewhere? Where to?"

"Glad to see I didn't scare you there." Eret laughed, enjoying the conversation more than he thought he would. It was rare that he could ever talk about his craft in a way that brought about such genuine interest in another person, and in a woman no less. She was so enchanting just by asking questions, by taking an interest in him. It was almost endearing. "Yes, my master is the one that wants the dragons. I just trap them and send them his way. He has ways of controlling them, has a dragon the size of a mountain that all the smaller ones submit too. It's rather impressive. Terrifying but impressive. Until I get the order to stop, I will keep sending him as many dragons as I can find up here."

Valka's fist relaxed and the hand fell to her lap, making Eret relax. Normally such details would be distressing, but Valka seemed the kind of women used to such information, more knowledgeable in the ways of the world than he appearance led on. "Really? And so this…"

"Drago. Drago Bludvist"

"Drago Bludvist…what is he doing with all these dragons? He must have a purpose in them doesn't he?"

"Ha…one would think so…" Eret rolled his eyes, finding that in both introspection and conversation he could not escape the mystery that was the mind of his ultimate commander. "I first met the man after I was captured by traders of men that worked for him. He was in the land of the Rus, destroying everything his army could touch and destroying all the organized resistance in that land. Not that it mattered much because he just moved right on from that land to elsewhere. His fleet passed south of here not too long ago, he's currently in Britain. All he does is destroy, let's his dragons destroy the armies and lets his men take the land and it's treasures for themselves. I don't quite understand it myself, but it's not my place to ask questions."

"Mmh…" Valka hummed to herself, taking the information in stride and showing no real inclination to any particular emotion. Eret found this curious, how she seemed more interested in the information and not the implications of it.

"So yeah…in case you intend on heading back home I'd advise against it for now, Drago is likely to hit Normandy soon enough."

"And Ireland? Will he hit Ireland?"

The name of his home brought a dryness to Eret's throat. While he had never totally lost the connection to his home, the memory of it that had once kept him consoled during his work on the slave galley had become repressed, chained down so that he could better do his work, to become the man necessary to perform the task he had been assigned. He didn't want to think about it, but he had to remember in the back of his mind that it was still a possibility. That someday soon it would be his own hometown that would come under attack. His friends fighting in vain, his secret loves at the mercy of ravenous spearmen, his church burning down in an inferno of draconic fury. It would be the final destruction of his old life, a life that his current substitution would never truly be able to replace.

"Well…maybe. Doesn't matter. Like I said, not my place to judge, let alone question Drago's motives. I'm just the man who gets the dragons, that's all I want to be."

"Makes sense." Valka nodded with appreciation, giving a warm smile that enthralled Eret. She was so nice, a different face when compared to the usual people who cared little for him or his existence. "So I take it you'll be getting back your job soon enough then?"

"Oh yes, probably in a few days or so. Bastard dragon rider took out two good men last time but we'll be ready for him whenever he shows that ugly mask of his. We'll head south of here this time just to be sure though, stay farther out of his range of patrol. Doesn't matter though, one of these days I'll get to kill him."

"You sound rather confident."

"You've got to be to do this job." Eret smiled, and Valka actually gave a short laugh at his dry quip. It was so graceful, like a form of music other than the annoying whistles that were carrying on long, grating notes in the background.

"I suppose so…I suppose so. Good luck out there then. A toast to your success." Valka raised her cup to the air. Eret had nothing with which to join her in the act, but instead raised his fist in agreement. "Good luck out there Eret, son of Eret."

"Thank you, Valka. I'll need it."

"Yes…" She took a sip to confirm the toast, smiling at the prospect of days to come. "…I'm sure you will."

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

**Hello Peoples!**

**Yeah…this chapter is pretty short and for that I apologize. But this is all I had time to write the last two weeks. School is really killing me, but I of course refuse to let it totally take me away from writing. Alas our trio has been set to flight once more, following what I've recognized is a pattern in my writing. Sorry it gets repetitive, but I think this will be breaking that cycle as things get more chaotic going forward. I've got something special prepared for the closing of Act III after all. And then there's the events going on in the North. Valka is so endearing isn't she? Eret certainly thinks so. I hope you enjoyed this rather short installment, and rest assured I'll be back with more soon enough. Feel free to let me know what you think and I'll see you next time.**

**-Mc.**


	36. Tidal Forces

"I've got a bad feeling about this…"

"So do I, but what choice do we honestly have? We're just lucky we were granted this rendezvous at all."

A longship slowly approached across light blue waters, the mild wind no match for the rowing power of the men that piloted the vessel. It bore a foreign crest and those men that stood had complexions ranging from Norse and familiar to exotic complexions of a medium brown. None of them looked like particularly upstanding men, but Stoick hadn't been expecting paragons of discipline or honor in the first place.

"At least they held to the agreement, no dragons in sight and I don't see any weapons on them."

"Probably confident for a reason though. For all we know there are dragons hidden in the forest ready to pounce on us at a moment's notice. They _know_ they have a reputation, so they'll place the opportunity to screw up in our hands for now. Quite impressive actually…"

"Oh shut it Haldor, you're not helping here." Gobber was quick to dismiss the embodiment of Norse martial prowess as he looked with Stoick across the bay to the ship that drew closer and quickly with each pull of the oars. "As I was saying…I think we're alright for now, but of course we should be ready to swim for it if they try anything. Easier said than done for me, but you know what I mean."

An ambassador had arrived on Berk the day following the meeting between the three leaders and Ruffnut. Plans had just begun to form of what to do about the great threat to the south when a small ship had sailed into port. A young man, full of pride and wearing it on his expensive armor waited at the pier for Stoick, claiming that it would be against his nature of diplomacy to step onto the soil of an island that was his master's enemy.

The meeting had been arranged to be in two week's time, at the southernmost part of the archipelago. A small island without inhabitants marked the border of this collection of disparate and ravaged people that refused to leave until they were forced out by spear point. A small crew had rowed, and naturally Gobber and Haldor had tagged along in the event that things went poorly. Considering the smug smile, the annoying arrogance that victory had given the first envoy upon meeting him a fortnight ago, deception was considered well within the realm of possibility.

Stoick could feel his legs weakening, and this was what worried him the most. Normally this would only happen when the dragon raids came at a surprising time or he was not doing as well as he could in a fight. All he was doing now was watching a ship come closer, he shouldn't have been this concerned. But it was the thought of what the ship represented, that this small platoon was part of an army of size and strength likely unseen in human history that truly terrified the usually calm and collected chief more than anything. Their sentiments did not seem to be reflected in the group that had come to meet them, who sailed forth from the shore with smiles and puffed chests. The two ships would meet offshore from the island, putting themselves in the most vulnerable positions to guarantee that diplomatic airs would be kept. Hopefully.

"I think that one at the mast, that's the representative. Rather young looking isn't he?" Haldor soothed himself by talking, he loved the sound of his own voice too much to find comfort in anything else.

"True…but his shirt is trimmed in gold, so he must be their leader. Maybe a son of a noble given up in exchange for safety?"

"No Gobber…" Stoick interjected himself. "Yes maybe the son was given up, but I doubt safety was ever a guarantee. It can't be. Not with Drago." His voice was stern and unwavering, resolute in his convictions. "He can't be trusted…I'm not even sure why he offered this negotiation. He either takes what he wants or leaves you alone, cares little for what anyone else says about it."

"That's a lot to draw from one rather bad experience isn't it?" Haldor spoke up, trying to get his word in before the rapidly approaching ship started to call out to them and the talks began. "Sure I can see a man who pulled a stunt as happened to you as being less than reputable…but that may have simply been a scare tactic for the time. Perhaps he has more tact than we give him credit for."

"You weren't there Haldor." Stoick had to fight down the urge to growl at having his word questioned, at the insinuation that what he witnessed twenty years ago was not a fit way of judging a man's character. "You didn't see the madness in his eyes, the fury that radiated off his skin, the lust for power that filled the room whenever he spoke. I was a fool to take him lightly then, by Odin I'm not making that mistake again."

"Berkians!" The young man at the base of the mast of the opposite ship spoke up to them, his high voice carrying easily over the slosh of the waves that parted with each row of his own vessel. "So wonderful to see you! Lord Drago sends his regards through me as a messenger of his might, harbinger of power and foreteller of his wrath! Haha!" Stoick wasn't sure if the man was an addict of theatrics or disturbed in the head, but his wild eyes and hand gesticulations were all the more reasons to keep up a strong guard against this prophet of doom.

The ship rode the power of one last pull of the oars as it drew up beside the Berkian craft, throwing stones overboard to anchor themselves as the oarsmen gripped their arms to soothe their muscles. The calm roar of the sea occupied the only space for sound a moment as Stoick walked to the side of his craft, standing at the base of the mast and looking at the young man that controlled the opposite boat. He wore no armor and carried no weapon, wearing only pants and a tunic with gold woven into the wool. Gobber had a fair point that such a shirt only came from wealth, but it just as well could have been stolen from the house of a vanquished thane, a prize of conquest.

"I am Stoick the Vast, chief of Berk. Who are you then, dignitary of Drago?"

"LORD Drago to you my most respectable chief! I, Gunter, conqueror of a thousand tides and hundred ladies must inform you of such things…lest we fall into disagreement so early!"

"I see…" Stoick sighed, depressed at the situation before him. "What then…Gunter…have we been called here for? What does Dra-_Lord _Drago wish to communicate to us?"

"Mmh…hahaha…oh yes…" Gunter began to smile and laugh hysterically, seemingly overjoyed at the thought of completing the task that had been assigned for him. "Oh yes…Lord Drago has taken it upon himself in his _infinite_ brilliance to request this meeting between you and I so that we might discuss his plans to control the archipelago that lies beyond these waters. He tells me that he and you have a history, isn't that right Chief Stoick?"

Stoick glared at the young man, who seemed to care little either way what emotions were brought up, so long as they gave him a rise of adrenaline and excitement. "Yes it is…he killed all the chiefs of the archipelago except me nearly twenty years ago."

"Oh that's right! Haha!" Gunter slapped his head several times, his grin refusing to go away. "How could I forget?! I love that story! What a grand old time that must have been, to witness the birth-nay!-the first true triumph of our glorious master!"

Haldor leaned close to Stoick to whisper in his ear. "I could take care of this if you like chief…still got a small knife beneath my cloak…"

Stoick shook his head slowly to decline Haldor's admittedly tempting offer as he looked into the hollow, berserk eyes of the dignitary. Where there should have been discernment and tact, there was wild abandon and chaos. He better belonged on the field of battle than on a ship, and even then he didn't look like much of a warrior. "Yes…that was when we first met."

"Wonderful! Lord Drago tells me he has been looking forward to meeting you again, he's so upset that his work was left uncompleted last time…he regrets it so…"

"I'm sure he does." Stoick raised his voice, earning a concerned look from Gunter who suddenly took on a childish complexion at the sound of a stern, deep voice. "Is that why he is here? To destroy the archipelago for good? What does Dra-_Lord_ Drago want exactly?"

"Want?! What does Lord Drago _want_?! And they told me you were a smart one….haha…" Stoick's annoyed expression did nothing to assuage Gunter's amusement at the question. "To imply Lord Drago wants…no no Chief Stoick! Lord Drago wants nothing…but wants only to see things…so many things-fire and ice! Everywhere will there be fire and ice! We sing about it all the time, the coming end, the beginnings of Ragnarok are upon us indeed!"

Haldor and Gobber looked to each other and to the other men on the ship, all unsure as to whether be confused or worried by the dignitary's babbling. Even the oarsmen on Gunter's own vessel seemed slightly perturbed by his erratic behavior, though their eyes spoke to the fact that they had become used to it some time ago.

"Lord Drago has come to destroy. To destroy you Chief Stoick, to destroy all of this archipelago and the world with it, to drag it beneath the waves till there is nothing left…fire and ice! Hahaha…"

"Mmh…" Stoick hummed, none too pleased with these words that were as maddening as the man from whom they were spoken. "Why? Why has Lord Drago come to destroy us?"

"Me? You're asking _me_ to comprehend the brilliance of Lord Drago? Haha…why such a silly question to ask a man…ask a man to whom such things are but pitiful attempts to match his splendor! Lord Drago comes because he desires to come…has waited nearly two decades to burn every island, every forest and every home of man to the ground…to turn every sea to ice…every corner of the world will know his name and glory!"

Stoick mulled on the nonsense longer than it was deserving before responding. "To destroy? That is his only goal? What is the purpose in that?"

"Is destruction-beautiful chaos…destruction so fair-not a purpose in itself? Can one not live to destroy-to eradicate all that one desires?!" Gunter's tendency for the dramatic was quickly getting on Stoick's nerves, aggravating in how obscure it was. The man must have seen himself as an actor in another world, having never existed in and of himself.

"If Drago seeks to destroy me regardless…why has he called this meeting then? Why bother with diplomacy if he seeks war and only war?"

"Mmh….hahaha….oh yes I am excited. So much waiting, very important things yes indeed...yes indeed." Gunter's smile threatened to split his face in two, so ecstatic about doing his job and doing it correctly. "For you see…my Lord, the amazing Lord Drago knows that there is nothing your tribe or any alliance of any of the tribes in this archipelago could do to defeat him. We are the destroyers of Kiev, vanquishers of every great kingdom on the North, annihilators of the empire of King Sweyn. The idea-the very notion!-that you or any of your pathetic little war bands could pose the slightest threat to us is laughable! Hahaha….see!"

Stoick noticed Haldor's teeth grinding at hearing any group of people that included himself insulted. He felt the same way, but bade the madman to speak more. "Most impressive feats, what do they have to do with us?"

"Not us…you! You Chief Stoick are the only thing in these pathetic wastes that are of interest to Lord Drago…the great, the magnanimous. For this reason-and that your homes are of too little treasure to interest the army in sailing to these places-Lord Drago wishes to extend an invitation of surrender. Of yourself of course. Come with us, and Lord Drago gives his word that Berk and the archipelago shall be spared destruction and left to die of their own accord. You shall of course be presented to Lord Drago so that he may finish his business two decades in the making…the irony of life! Beautiful!"

"A sacrifice? That's what he wants? What he expects…for me to just surrender like a coward?" Stoick's voice descended into a stern growl that quashed the excitement of Gunter again as he seemed to sink back into a poor memory of other men with a similar voice. The chief could feel Haldor and Gobber's eyes staring into him, as concerned with the ultimatum as the chief was. Haldor's hand pulled on the chief's shirt to drag his attention from staring daggers at Gunter.

"Chief…this is…it is ultimately your decision but…" The very fact that Haldor was in any form of indecision immediately alerted the chief, who let Gunter stare them all down with wandering eyes as he turned to address this constant pain in his side for the past two years.

"You _dare_ even consider this?! You!?"

"Easy now…" Haldor drew his open palms up to his shoulders to mentally defend himself. "All I'm saying is that…chief you should think of the other tribes here. Their existence is at stake here just as much as our own. It's not the most honorable or respectable way to go I agree, but…"

"You coward." Gobber interjected with a dry voice. "Asking another man to sacrifice himself, is that the Viking way?"

"Were he not to accept the offer, there would be no more Viking way at all. Kiev is gone, Sweyn's kingdom is broken, we don't know what's happened to Normandy or our kin in Ireland, for all we know the Viking way might die with us. I'm just looking at the wider world here. Stoick…" He looked at the chief with sincerity, but beneath it there was something indefinable by human eyes, emotions and motivations that Haldor himself did not even know were working within him. "…if none of them stood a chance against Drago, surely we don't. Yes cowardice is not the Viking way, but should we not strive to preserve that way at the expense of a few poor examples in the songs?"

Stoick's gaze would have shrunk Haldor to the size of a blade of grass, so filled with bile and fury that any man dared tell him what to do with his very life. But the point did nonetheless motivate Stoick to look back to Gunter, considering that if one variable was met, he would accept the offer. "Gunter…conqueror of a thousand tides and a hundred ladies…tell me something. Is anywhere in Drago's army there a Night Fury? One that may have arrived with a boy and a girl riding it?"

Gunter's eyes widened at excitement at the thought, giving Stoick hope for a brief moment. "Night Fury….unholy offspring of lightning and death itself…haha….so amazing and nobody's seen it. Death incarnate…spawn of Loki….haha…Oh yes…"

"Yes?" Stoick started forward, Haldor doing the same out of passionate interest in the subject. "You have it? The Night Fury?"

"Mmh? Night Fury? Lord Drago has none of those in his legions I believe. Would be so amazing indeed to wield such power…and fly. You say the beast is ridden? Haha! Splendid…so amazing, truly only the worthiest of men could do such a thing…but no. No neither Night Fury or rider is within the arsenal of Lord Drago…yet. Hope? Bad hope? Maybe. But if it exists, surely Lord Drago will find it. None can resists he who controls that which cannot be resisted…haha…"

"I see." Stoick deflated, seeing that even if he took the offer there would be no chance to see his son again. What he would have done had he seen Hiccup again he was not totally sure about himself. Hug him and forgive him and hold him tight before execution, or strangle him to death with his own bare hands? Or maybe both? Emotions were hard to predict.

"Yes…how disappointing." Haldor sighed, seeing that his opportunity to be united and to seek his own revenge was passing by as well. Gunter put on a frown at seeing the boat opposite him in deflated spirits. "Stoick…"

"Be quiet Haldor." Stoick quickly shut the man down as he kept his eyes on Gunter, this madman who spoke the words of an even greater madman. Try as he did to ignore the fact, Haldor had made a valid point earlier. Saving others was a tempting offer for a valiant death, but if it were contingent on trusting a man like Drago Bludvist, it left the chance of his sacrifice being in vain being a questionable one. Surrender, death and dishonor, and possibly for no benefit.

"Gunter. Inform Drago that if wants me dead, he'll have to come to me and do it himself. And that's only if I don't kill him first."

Instead of instilling fear as Stoick had hoped to do, he found that Gunter instead jumped and brought fists up to his mouth as he yelped in hysterical joy. "Hahaha…oh yes! Yes! Oh Lord Drago the glorious and all mighty expected such an answer…and that means war! Beautiful! There will be fire and ice…chaos and destruction! Haha…" Gunter jumped down from the mast and walked to the side of his ship, slapping some men to cue the raising of the anchors. "So be it then Chief Stoick…Lord Drago shall meet this challenge happily. Prepare yourselves for the wrath…glorious wrath! Away! Away to glory!"

Oars were quickly put back to work as the vessel navigated out to the open ocean, the insane dignitary and his reluctant crew pulling away into the great blue plains that would lead them back to their leader, somewhere far beyond many horizons. Stoick's mouth felt dry as the rest of his ship's crew and the men at his side both looked on with awe and fear at the decision that had been made.

"Well…" Stoick began, turning to them with a solemn determination. "Let's get home, we've got some preparations to make."

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

"Two hundred fifty one…two hundred fifty two…two hundred fifty three…"

Eret had found that when circumstance required him to stay up late, counting the stars was a great way to keep focused. Doing so demanded a great deal of focus and memory, making sure that he did not count the same orb twice or skipped over any particular light as he made his way from one side of the heavens to the other. Not that doing things in any methodical manner seemed to help him, because no matter how many times he tried to come to a definite number, the amount he could see always changed with his proximity to a settlement and the comings and goings of the seasons.

"Two hundred fifty eight…two hundred fifty nine…two hundred sixty…"

The night was beautiful and clear, the mild warmth of the day had not yet escaped the earth and the sky was open for him to observe. This small town on the outskirts of the Northern wastes was hardly bright enough to obstruct too much of the heavens, and he had taken the opportunity of the beautiful weather to relax for the evening.

"Two hundred sixty three…two hundred sixty-to hundred sixty…five? Four? Ah hell…."

He closed his eyes a moments and rubbed them, a light breeze brushing over his already cool body. He remained like this for a short while before resolving to forgo further star gazing. As much as he enjoyed it, after two occurrences of getting off track he decided that he would be getting nowhere with his hobby this night. He stood up and stretched his back, admiring the canopy of lights above him. It was the time of month when the moon was dark and hid its presence from the world, the night black save for the gentle glimmer of the stars and the warm glow of the town a short walk away. He could still hear the ocean waves, him still being close to shore. He resolved to make for the docks, deciding that a stroll by the sea would do well to entertain him on this serene evening.

It was a good idea to be relaxed, for news had arrived that stressed him to think about. Lord Drago was going to be heading North soon, and there would come a point where Eret assumed he would have to meet his benefactor and employer again. Absent from the man to whom he'd pledged allegiance for so long, he had almost forgotten what the monster of man was like until he heard the stories of the destruction that followed his army. Eret had grown comfortable where he was, to be vaguely in the service of someone else when in practicality he only served himself, enjoying all the benefits that strength and freedom gave with few of the hassles that come with owing such freedom to someone else.

He had worked on forgetting the past, it was too inconvenient. His life a few years ago appeared in his memory as something foreign, as if it were an entirely different person that had occupied his body. He was stronger now, capable of enduring greater strain on his muscles and his mind, hardened to a life of kill or be killed in pursuit of his new profession. In retrospect, the events that had brought him here-the loss of his ship, watching his shipmates be killed without mercy for lack of utility-seemed normal, a part of life that he had adjusted to. Still, the recollections stirred something inside him that was better left alone. Thinking too much about seeing his friends killed in front of him, their throats slit and bodies tossed into the seas or into a massive pile struck at an innate revulsion that would have gotten in the way of his work. For the sake of his own survival, it was that work alone that mattered.

"Well he hasn't complained yet…so I'm keeping my head." Eret mulled aloud with none around to judge him mad. He was still to comprehend Drago's motive, what such destruction as he heard about could possibly do for the man. He knew the loot went to the soldiers, the land was free to be taken by any that wanted it after the ruling powers were disposed of. But what did Drago himself want? He took nothing for himself except the satisfaction of destruction, certainly among the more peculiar traits of a man that Eret had heard of. Then again, such a trait might work in Eret's favor. A man with a love of destroying all that opposed him would certainly be willing to offer some troops to help Eret defeat his nemesis, the masked dragon rider that was proving more and more a worthy foe with every encounter.

It almost seemed that the rider was watching his every move now. The crew's most recent excursion Southward had met with another encounter with vigilante. Fire had struck the boat that time, but they had been lucky enough to extinguish the blaze before it spread. They might not be so lucky next time, and would meet not only the fate of captain Asger but of several other of the transport boats that had come under increased attack whenever they approached the island. Eret almost thought that the rider was based on another side of the desolate rock, but no amount of searching had turned up anything looking like a nest. It was as though the rider knew their next moves before they made them, or at least was always so constantly near them that they operated under his shadow. It was making the job more and more difficult, but Eret was resolved to see it through until either he or his nemesis perished.

He passed beyond the small town's open border and began to walk around the outskirts towards the pier, the smell of the sea doing its best to cover up the feint scent of human settlement and the related wastes that was always common in any serious area of habitation. His thoughts shifted from the challenges to the indulgences of life.

There was a woman that was staying on his thoughts despite his best efforts to pass her off. Tall and with brown hair that still had several years of rich color left in them, with sparkling green eyes that reminded Eret of his homeland. Looking younger than she deserved to be, she was an icon of grace and a peculiar charm. She seemed uncomfortable with the large group that had surrounded them when they first met, but in a personal conversation she seemed perfectly content and natural, as though she had been waiting to practice the skill on him for so long and had prepared everything she wanted to say. The Normans undoubtedly created fine young ladies, there was no doubt about this.

Valka lingered at the back of his thoughts, her delightful voice and charming smile refused to fade away into the background of other people he knew once and would never see again. He almost hoped to see her again, to see more of her charm and to listen to the sweet accent she wielded so well. Why couldn't he get her off his mind? He chuckled to himself that he was over thinking things, that if he just totally ignored her image whenever it appeared that she would be forgotten. Yet he didn't _want_ to forget her. He wanted to see her again, to boast about his strength and his accomplishments against both beasts and the one that protected them. A friend outside the less than reputable people of this island would be a welcome occasion, someone unique with whom he could share a unique bond. An ear to listen when his fellow men proved too much for him.

He arrived at the docks and made for one of several dome shaped structures that had been constructed by collaboration between his men and the townspeople. Each one held a captive dragon until the transport ships could arrive to take them to Drago. Eret decided some inspection of his wares would take his mind off a peculiar woman, and passed through the heavy leather flaps that acted as a door. A pungent aroma of waste and nature greeted him as an increasingly emaciated looking Monstrous Nightmare huffed at his entrance.

"Yeah…not so tough when you're a week without a scrap now are you?" He teased the beast and barely had the strength to growl, and instead merely huffed some more at him. The beast's wings were tied down firm, the tail held tight to the ground by thick strips of leather attached to iron spikes and the head endured the same fate. All ideas of Eret that worked much better than rope and chain, although some chain was still used to hold the main body down to the ground. One could never be too careful around dragons after all.

"What's the matter? You scared?" He knelt down next to the dragon which looked back at him with vengeful eyes. The first few days he had inspected the specimen he had only seen pleas for mercy, to be freed and liberated from its suffering. Now having accepted its circumstances, the winged reptile saw this mammalian interloper as nothing more than an annoyance, a cruel taunt that was a bitter reminder of incarceration.

"Now don't you worry…" Eret placed his hand on the dragon's neck, enjoying the feel of trembling scales beyond his own skin. "I'm sure when you get to Lord Drago he'll treat you nice and right. You'll have a nice little life being his pet…conquering lands…destroying whole nations…grand old time." Eret mulled on himself, the face of a woman who would not leave his thoughts came bursting forth to the front of his conscious.

_"And Ireland? What about Ireland?"_

It was a legitimate question that Eret wanted to ignore. He'd tried to pass it off as not his concern when first asked, willing to prostrate himself by whatever means necessary to allow his master to do as he pleased. But the inquiry did add a certain face to what he was doing, a new factor that he had tried to ignore this past year. So far removed from his home, his family and faith, he thought himself successful in leaving the past twenty two years of his life behind him. But there was a real threat out there, one that would indeed threaten his home and his still existent relatives.

He wanted to tell himself that they didn't matter, but much like Valka they now refused to leave his mind. The smell of fresh bread coming from inside town, the sound of parents dealing with rebellious children, the sight of the entire town at rest during a harsh blizzard. At sixteen he had left to find employ in the villages closer to the water, his young and energetic body seeking excitement on the waves when the stable life of the town had grown too frustrating for him. Good people doing good work in good waters, those who knew their place in God's world and never thought of remaking it for themselves, living to fulfill the roles they were given. He'd learned everything he knew about life on the waves from them, and now they were under threat by the madman Eret called a master.

Nauseous as the prospect made him, Eret had to remember that it was not his place to worry about such things. His mother had been ill the last time he'd seen her, for all he knew she was already dead and would be spared any suffering. And his father was young enough to be decently mobile, certainly he could find shelter for when the storm of steel and fire descended upon Ireland. It could be ignored, just like the suffering of the Danes and the Norwegians and the English and the Rus. After all, when Eret considered the masses upon masses that would likely suffer together, it made the idea much more palatable.

"You'll be fine there lad…just fine…" He widened his palm to feel as much of the scaly skin as he could. It had such a unique feel, this slick hide that was drying out with each passing day. They had to be especially cautious with this breed, too much water and food and it would ignite its skin into a roaring blaze. Nightmares were especially deprived of resources while captive, one could never be too careful. Such a powerful beast brought low by a few desperate men, Eret saw it as an accomplishment worthy of pride.

The Nightmare shifted in its bindings what little it could, huffing at Eret again. Now it was of relaxation and contentment, the beast no longer angry to see his tormenter. The dragon instead allowed the man to keep his hand on its neck, trying to ignore the feel outside sensation and to escape into another world beyond the leather and chains of this one. Eret sighed as he felt melancholy overcome his soul, the still of the night and the gentle rise and falls of the dragon's breathing proving more relaxing than Eret wanted.

"Hey! What are-ah!"

A shout arose from beyond the leather flaps and further down the docks. It immediately roused Eret from his calm daze and put him back on his feet as he carried himself back out into the night air.

"Gah! I-"

It was one of Eret's men, the one assigned to look after the tents for captured dragons at night when the vigilante was prone to try and free them. The yells meant only one thing, and Eret drew his knife and began to rush down the shore where the cries had come from. His heart drew in and expelled blood quickly as his mind readied for combat. He'd encountered the dragon rider many times at sea, but had only heard of the raids on the tents, never being around when they occurred. Now was his chance to maybe catch his nemesis in a fair fight, maybe even get in a good blow. There was always that menacing dragon with four wings to deal with, but such risks were rarely calculated in the heat of battle. He held down his urge to yell for backup or to yell his arrival. The new moon had given his foe the opportunity to sneak in here, he would use the same blessing to catch him by surprise.

There were no more screams from the sentry, and Eret slowed his pace as he came to the last tent in the long row he and his men had constructed. He listened closely for signs of movement from within the last tent, and heard cutting and thuds as an excited Razorclaw began to thrash its tail. Eret took slow steps forward, intent to storm in and take his foe by surprise.

He was thrown back as the dragon burst out of the tent, sending strips of leather everywhere as it soared towards the sky. The man of the waves quickly leapt back to his feet and held his knife forward, looking into the darkness for another figure. A series of horns emanating from a large mask was disappearing into the black and running towards away to further down the shore. "Oh no you don't you bastard!" Eret began his pursuit, putting all his energy into his legs for them to carry him forward. The stars watched idly and with passive interest as he sprinted towards his target, who despite displaying agility and bravery on the waves was proving to have the running ability of an older woman.

"Come here!" Eret lunged at him with his knife, only to find his arm smacked aside with one side of a staff and the other side being quickly turned around to beat into his gut. He recovered from the blows quickly enough but saw that his nemesis was quickly running away again. Eret pursued in pain for a few paces before stopping. A shadow had begun to rise out of the darkness, four wings beating in rapid succession as it morphed from what would otherwise be thought the shape of a rock into a massive beast of the skies. A column of fire quickly burst out of its mouth, and Eret dived to the right to avoid the inferno.

"Ugh…little shit…" He grumbled as the grass around him quickly caught ablaze, the temperature rising as the bright orange destruction brought light to the evening. His foe used the staff and with amazing flexibility hoisted himself on top of the great beast, whose wing beats brought it higher and higher with each passing moment. Color appeared at the back of its open maw and flame was readied. Eret pushed himself up and readied to move, but stalled as he saw something odd happen to the dragon. The rider lowered his staff and pulled the beast's jaw up, earning a moan from the beast that sounded like that of a child being denied something it wanted. Eret stared at the outline of the figure a moment, surprised and confused as to why he was being spared the inferno.

"What the-what are you waiting for?!" He yelled at the silhouette against the stars. "Either finish this or fight me some more why don't you!" His yell was bellowed into the sky, but was met only with the response of beating wings and silence from the dragon and rider respectively. Then, as if the pair had heard nothing at all the dragon turned and began to fly away. Eret's expression deadpanned as he was ignored, treated as something inconsequential by his nemesis as the shadow of a creature disappeared into the darkness.

"Get back here! You'll pay for this you hear me!" He screamed some more, frustrated over being ignored and given mercy more than coming so close to death. His heart began to slow as the situation ended, the grass that had been set alight proving too moist for the fire to spread, and the orange blaze was already dying to leave Eret in further darkness. He was panting from the furious sprint and the excitement of the encounter and with nothing against which to expel this energy he now had.

And now, there was a new question that was forming in his mind. Every time they battled on the waves, the rider always had no mercy for anyone, injuring and killing and doing whatever it took to both stay alive and to do his job correctly. Yet now Eret had been in a perfect position, capable of being wiped out with a single blast of fire. And the rider had passed up a perfect opportunity. It made no sense. Why? What had Eret done? What was so special about him that the rider was willing to allow the leader of his foes survive when the option of killing was so open?

Eret shook his head, not wanting to put himself to deep thought when he was still so riled up. He simply considered himself grateful for the mercy, even if he did not understand it. Clenching his knife, he also knew that when the time came and the tables were turned, he would not be quite as forgiving.

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

"Hang on!"

A mighty gust swept under Toothless' wings and diverted his course to the left again. At this point there was hardly a course to be had, merely an effort to fly and to stay in the air. The loud crash of thunder all around them was making Astrid's ears ring as Thor seemed to be entering a berserk state in the massive clouds above them.

The day had started off like most of them following the fleeing of Cordoba, with strong, beautiful sunlight that warmed the skin and eased the soul. They had spent two weeks leisurely enjoying the southern Iberian countryside, at awe with things as mundane as arid grassland and wide expanses of shrub and dirt. They had been used to life always dying in the winter but seeing it return when the weather was warm. To see fields without grass, to feel the pangs of thirst as the sun beat down upon them in the open made this place seem like the edge of the habitable world. Yet they were resolved to push on. Hiccup had said that while in the library he had found more maps that pointed to some kind of land beyond a small stretch of sea at the edge of Iberia. Determined to see more of the world unfold before them, the trio decided to advance further on.

Hiccup had wanted to fly back West, to where the space between the landmasses was smallest and they could avoid prolonged flight over the sea. Astrid however had argued against this, advocating a direct path over a wider patch of sea to save time so that they may more quickly see this strange land beyond the waters. The sun had not been as hot as it usually was that morning, and they took this as a good sign as they set out at noon to venture across the waves. All three were now regretting this decision.

"Damn! That was too close there! Toothless are you sure you don't see anything?" Hiccup's voice was hard to hear among the furious winds and claps of thunder that surrounded them. The sky was a dark grey, the sun concealed by a thick layer of clouds that had proved insurmountable in their efforts to get above the storm. Instead they flew halfway between the fury above and the swirling chaos of the ocean below, a seemingly endless expanse of black waters that wanted to engulf them all.

_::If I could see something believe me I would have told you! Just focus on keeping me airborne!::_

The dragon's serene voice had a growl to it as it passed through Astrid's ears. Her arms were wrapped around Hiccup, her face pressed as firmly as she could manage into his back. Her clothes served no purpose at this point, so thoroughly soaked by the pelting rains. Each drop felt like an arrow that couldn't pierce her skin but still hurt as though it had. She could barely keep her eyes opened as rivers ran down her face.

The flight had been going so well at first. Even when they had seen the dark clouds to the West of them they had been of such high spirits that they thought they could surpass the storm, would fly so fast as to outrun the wrath of Thor himself. Thor apparently did not care for their pride, and the storm came upon them quickly and with a ferocious wrath. Now there seemed no end in sight, nothing but dark skies and darker waters that both seemed intent to kill them.

"Whoa!" Hiccup pulled on Toothless and brought the dragon to a temporary halt in the air as a bolt of lightning arced down from the sky and struck the ocean shortly in front of them.

_::If I am called the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself, then it would appear that mother and father are trying to kill me…::_

"No kidding bud. Astrid? How you holding up?" He asked as the dragon moved forward again, trying to push against the winds.

"Mmh? Oh just fine! Couldn't be better!" Even in times of distress she was not above sarcasm. "How much further?!"

"No idea! I can't see a thing and I feel that these winds are just putting us around in circles! Toothless-"

_::I feel the same…these gusts are too powerful for me to push through, I fear that they will exhaust my strength before we can reach the other side of the sea!::_

Thunder roared again as the two humans and dragon winced at the roar of the skies. The clouds flashed with fantastic light that-were the not in the middle of a fight for life-would have been something to marvel at.

"Should we just try and head back?! See if we can't reach the shore we started from?!" Astrid yelled as the winds carried so much of her voice away before it could reach Hiccup's ears. The gusts were whistling in her ears, a persistent din that demanded all of her attention so as to give awe and homage to this weapon of nature.

"I don't even know which way is back at this point!"

_::Nor do I, these winds have spun me around to a point that I cannot know which way is which. For all we know we are traveling further into the ocean at this point!::_

Astrid growled as the leather strap of the wicker pack dug into her shoulder. She could feel her skin getting worn down as each little shift of the water and leather eroded her shoulder. The supplies were gaining weight as water was absorbed by the straw, she wouldn't be surprised if everything was soaked by this point. "Hiccup…we've got to get out of here!"

"Tell me something I don't know! At this point the best we can do is just deal with what we've got and-"

Something happened, something so quick that Astrid didn't even register it until she felt her body in free fall, the pack falling off of her as she plummeted down towards the sea. There had been a flash of light from behind her, followed by a shiver that ran through every nerve in her body as she felt her blood itself come alive with electricity. Her eyes were blinded for a moment as she felt Toothless jerk about a moment and lose control as his very body vibrated with explosive force. She only realized that they had been struck by lightning when her body collided with the waves with a painful splash.

Working on nearly instinct level training her father had drilled into her for when she ever had to fight on the seas, she kicked off her shoes as she came to the surface, rubbing the salty brine away from her eyes and ignoring the sting. "Hic-"

Her call was stopped as a wave rushed into her mouth. She flailed around as she spat the liquid out, gagging while she did so. She cleared her eyes again and this time felt the next wave coming at her, riding with current and looking around desperately for either Hiccup or Toothless. "Hiccup!" Her body was growing sore and quickly, her muscles having absorbed a shock that would have killed her if they had fallen from any further a height. Her survival skills kicked in, but she found that when her body was at the mercy of the waves those skills and instincts did her little good.

"Astrid!" She heard her voice called from the right of her and tried to see something as she rolled with the waves. She looked around frantically, but saw nothing resembling Hiccup's pale skin or auburn hair. Toothless likewise could not be seen among the massive waves as the black waters churned in every direction. "Astrid!"

"Hiccup!?" She called out to the waters, but they responded only with the sound of waves crashing against themselves, the chorus to the thunderous melody that played above them. Another wave splashed down upon her from behind, obstructing her vision as the sting of the salty waves rained down upon her. The pellets of Thor's wrath still descended from the skies, lightning danced in the clouds and gave momentary flashes of illumination to the waves. Try as she did to use these flashes to see something, the entire circumference of her vision showed her nothing but more waves that were intent to feast upon her.

"Hiccup!?" She called once more, panicked for both her body and his as she received no response. The waters gave her no signal or reassurance, mocking her with the thought that she would be sucked down into the silence beneath. Her own tears began to mix with the salt water in her eyes as another wave came toward her, too big to dodge or to ride out. She crossed her arms in front of her face as the wall of water collided with her, and she became immersed into the darkness below.

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

**Hello Peoples!**

**Here we are with the end of Act III. This has been a rough Act to write and I honestly feel I could have done it better, but life's been chaotic the last few months. I hope it proved tolerable for you at least, for you are the ones for whom I write and intend to finish this mammoth tale. Sorry to leave you with a cliffhanger, but at this point you should know I'm prone to them. All is developing according to plan, and I hope you're enjoying this plan. Now the fun starts, got some evil stuff planned going forward, hope you're ready for it. If you liked this chapter feel free to leave a review and tell me what you thought. Happy life to you and I'll see you next time.**

**-Mc.**


	37. Gifts of the Sea

Han the Sentry enjoyed time.

Many others lamented its march, bemoaned the fact that one moment was not the same as the last or lived in perpetual fear that the next time they closed their eyes would be their last. Not Han the Sentry, he rather enjoyed watching the hours and days float by, keeping watch over the waters and the stars and seeing how they-much like time-never appeared the same. The passage of time was something to be savored, not despised. He thought this a valid reason why he had become such a good sentry, that he was able to savor the long shifts observing nothing. After all, no instant of time was ever nothing, rather a precious and fleeting moment that should be savored and enjoyed.

However, as the blood began to pool in his feet and the strain of fatigue started to close his eyes even Han the Sentry could wish for time to move a little faster.

"Who did this?!"

"I don't know! I don't know Lord Drago…most gracious and most magnanimous…"

One man out of fifty was all that had survived. Three boats had sunk and a dozen dragons had been freed from transport with a stunning degree of speed. Three transports from the North, where the trappers operated in catching the beasts Han the Sentry so admired and Lord Drago so desired had been upon the horizon, ready to join up with the rest of the fleet when something had come out of the sun. A shadow with four wings had descended upon the ships with a burst of flame, quickly setting the first alight. This is what Han the Sentry had learned, for he had just gone to sleep after his shift through the night had ended. He was roused and given equipment as the fleet went into battle stations at the strange threat that had manifested itself out of the rising sun was disappearing into the horizon.

By the time Han the Sentry had gotten to the top deck of the ship and could see the crisis for himself, all three craft were alight and the dragons that they had been carrying were loose, flying away into the morning light with the four winged beast as their leader. Han the Sentry's feet were already sore from a night of standing and his eyes were strained from having to look at nothing. Being denied his precious sleep was a serious frustration, but no inconvenience was too great to stop one from serving Lord Drago. Or at least that was one told himself while in the man's service, it helped him stay alive.

"Just one! There was only the one that was all I saw! I swear!"

The one man that had survived the infernos and the wrath of freed dragons had been pulled aboard Drago's craft as the fleet made haste to hunt for the survivors of this tragedy. Three perfectly good vessels had succumbed to the sea along with scores of useful and loyal men. Expensive equipment and hundreds of hours of pay and labor gone in so short a time, it was a catastrophe that struck the coffers just as much as the soul.

"Just…_one…_" Drago growled at the survivor, who was on his hands and knees and giving the respect of subservience to his master like a beaten dog. Drago's face was almost burning with the rouge hue that came to it in his rage. His voice had sunk to its deepest, each vowel he pronounced came as a long roar and each consonant a sharp and abrasive sword that carried spit and fury to the wind. "_One_ person?! How could only _one_ person do so much?!"

"Lord Drago I do not know! He just came out of the sun and attacked us, his dragon set one boat afire and then-"

"Dragon?" Drago was stopped by the sudden exclamation of the groveling soul, being totally unaware to any details of the attack and only just recently roused from slumber.

"Yes! Yes this attacker rode in on a dragon! A four winged beast out of the pits of Hell I tell you! Our leader's boat was set ablaze almost instantly and those of us that were sleeping were barely on deck by the time the boat was sinking and all the dragons on the boat were free and setting our own boats on fire! We tried to fight back, we fought as hard as we could but-but I swear this person that rode the dragon was something else. He-it-whatever it was used the dragons like it was communicating to them! Like they could read thoughts of something…I've never seen anything like it! It threw some of us to the dragons to die, others were just struck so badly that they drowned once they hit water…one had his skull split! I was a coward! A coward I-I jumped into the water when the blaze on the boat caught and that rider was going around and attacking everyone. Lord Drago…most merciful and most gracious please forgive me my cowardice! I didn't know what to do…I-I…"

The survivor started to breathe very heavily and curled into a ball on the ship deck, whimpering and crying to himself as Drago looked down at him with a mixture of pity and frustration. Han the Sentry wasn't sure that this man would survive the night or even these next few moments knowing Drago's lack of compassion for the weaker links of his army. The man who had been dragged from the waves was at least trying to regain control of himself and to stop his emotional outburst. Dissatisfied with the pace of this recovery, Drago decided to take the initiative and thrust a powerful a kick into the survivor's abdomen, causing a fierce yelp to rise into the crisp morning air.

"Tell me more! What kind of dragon was it…more details!"

"Ah…ah I-Lord Drago…most glorious and awe inspiring…I know little. I do not know the name of the dragon…only that it had four wings and projected a great amount of fire! The rider…the rider walked and fought like an animal…like a demon possessed by another demon. There was-there was a mask…this big mask with spikes and he came at us with this giant staff…it could break bones and we-nobody could even get close! Then there were-there were the dragons everywhere and some were eating the men and one guy got split in two and-and…"

The survivor started crying again, and Han the Sentry was beginning to notice just how young this man was, to the point that it was a stretch to call him such given his softer features. Han the Sentry knew that there were many people from across the lands that had been destroyed that were seeking to serve the very man that destroyed their way of life, and this one seemed no exception. But as much as this person might have thought, they were not of the fit enough mental strength to endure the brutalities that came not just from a life on the waves, but when engaged with an army no less. Granted Han the Sentry would have never thought of any situation like the one he had woken to this morning, but in a life such as this, every man had to be prepared for the worst.

"Get up!" Another fierce kick by Drago collided into the young sailor's stomach and knocked the groveling mess of a man onto his side, his cries and deep breaths of agony exploding into an uncontrollable song of terror and shock. Drago scowled at the this pathetic attempt of a soldier before him and stood quietly a moment, accepting that he had all the information he was likely to get or could ever receive.

The tale of the man who now wept without restraint on the boat deck was a wild and intriguing one. Han the Sentry could not help but fantasize about the situation in his head, and he became intent to dream about this when he could finally get back to sleep. A rider of dragons and an expert fighter in the same form was certainly a cause for concern among commander and soldier alike. Han the Sentry did not like to think that he would ever have to go about having to fight such a thing, but as he looked towards his commander, he saw that this prospect troubled Drago just as much as it did a lowly man like Han the Sentry. What information had been gathered had put the commander into a state of brooding and discomfort at this shift in the paradigm of what had otherwise been a smooth voyage of conquest and subjugation. The more Han the Sentry thought about it, those men that now rested beneath the waves were the first serious loss of men since the assault on Kiev, in that their death did not coincide with any victory. They were but a drop in the bucket compared to the size of the entire army, but their symbolism struck deeper than a spear this morning.

"Guard!" Drago called out, not moving his face. Han the Sentry rushed forward to see to his commander's wishes, and much to his surprise found Drago smiling with malevolent joy. Han the Sentry looked up to the man who could cover him with a shadow, and who looked to the waves of the North with glee. "It would appear…that we have a worthy challenger at last. Perhaps the other Alpha is with him as well…wouldn't that be fortunate?"

Han the Sentry quietly nodded, having learned that Drago was rarely if ever addressing him and instead preferred talking to himself.

"All might just work out as planned after all…how excellent. Now then…" Drago turned back towards Han the Sentry, towering over the humble guard whose height was barely average in his homeland, let alone in this strange place of endless waters. "Han, bring me General Balashov by this afternoon. He is the only one I think capable of looking into this threat with what forces can be spared to go after it. As for him…" Drago looked to the survivor that was only now recovering from his bout of crying and deep breathing, and who took notice when he was referred to with fear and apprehension. "…see to it that he meets his comrades' fate."

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

A sudden convulsion of the body broke Astrid from mental blackness as the bitter taste of salt water became painfully noticeable in her mouth. Another hacking cough completed her rousing from a stunned state as her chest convulsed. Her face scratched against the coarse sand that pillowed her cheek, her insides felt that they were burning while the rest of her skin felt cold and wet. Her throat was on fire with the taste of brine, her breathing staggered as water sloshed about in her lungs.

A wave splashed behind her, the water riding its own momentum and reaching up to her waistline as it curved around her. Sea birds called to another above the girl, mourning her circumstances and waiting for the proper time to scavenge the carcass. The call of the sea that had once been a deafening and boastful war cry had subsided to little more than a calm rhythm of nature.

"Oh gods…" She coughed up as a frustrating pain at the back of her mouth refused to go away. She tried to summon strength to her arms but found her fortitude lacking, her muscles too pummeled from the waves to muster anything beyond the slightest of movements at first. Her entire lower half was soaked, and every subtle movement she tried to perform caused her skin to make contact with the sand she lay on, a substance too soft to have strong footing on but that was still sharp enough to make slices against her skin that she would never see. Her body felt as though its soul had been sucked out, every part of it in pain and so fatigued as to present serious effort in body or mind. It was tempting to just ignore it all, to just lay here and let the waters slowly cover her back up. The waves sounded so welcoming, calm and reassuring like her few memories of her mother. They wanted her to fall asleep so that they may claim her, to bring her back to the sea that was the cradle of all life.

"No…" She moaned as another wave soaked her from foot to waist, her skin feeling frozen as the waters receded and a cold wind took its place, sucking away her heat as grains of sand flew from farther down the beach and into her face. She coughed again, wincing as her throat lit up in agony. "Not like this…"

In one moment she gathered the entirety of her strength and pushed herself up, and on her hands and knees clawed her way out of the tidal zone in a few haphazard leaps bounding forward and spinning onto her back. She slid back into the sand, feeling the pulverized rock accumulate wherever her skin or clothing was wet. For several moments all she could do was breathe deeply and look out into the waters before her. The waves appeared large farther out, but became little more than large yet gentle volleys that came ashore with little wrath. The sky was mostly dark, but some of the large clouds were breaking and small shafts of color were breaking through. She could tell it was not quite dusk yet, but it would be soon enough. The air tasted of salt with every inhale she took, the melodies of the seabirds rang in her ears. It took some time before the reality that she was alive began to sink in, and she gave thanks to the gods for this miracle.

Her memory began to function now that she did not have to worry about the rising waters, and flashes of light, the sensation of falling and the feeling of every one of her muscles being relentlessly massaged to the point of agony all returned. She recalled struggling, finding that the waves required neither muscle nor intelligence to mold her to their will. She recalled being like that for a long time, her body becoming worn out in the chaos of the black waters as the sky boomed above her and lightning snaked its way through the clouds, the instrument of her agony mocking her in how it boundlessly flashed from point to point with absolute ease. She remembered her mouth constantly filling with the deathly brine of the sea as she kept calling a name in desperation, finding no response as her cries fell on nothing, smothered by the sound of nature at war with itself.

_Hiccup!_

The thought flashed to her mind immediately, and she looked away from the churning waves to either side of her only to find that each direction looked the same. The beach extended on for what seemed like forever, nothing but sand and the occasional rock or shell that broke up the otherwise unremarkable tract of land. She saw nothing resembling any manner of body-human or draconic- around her. She coughed again as she stared back out to the sea, moaning as none of the pains that plagued her body seemed intent to leave her at all. The sand was kicked about by the wind, pelting her hair and arms and stinging like a barrage of tiny arrows.

She closed her eyes a moment and thought, taking into consideration her position and physical state. Neither were good, but then again she had never let that stop her before. With a sigh and a rush of blood she pushed herself up slowly, her arms hanging low a moment before she could correct her back. She stood still for a while, listening to the wind in her ears as her body adjusted to standing and she felt for every muscular pain she was having, focused on ignoring them all for the time being. She opened her eyes to see the waves still taunting her, prideful that they had brought Astrid to this place of isolation and pain.

"Got to find him. He's got to be on this beach somewhere." She told herself aloud, forbidding her mind to yet contemplate the possibility that she had made it to shore and that her husband had not. With stiff but still functioning legs she turned and began to trudge upon the sand, falling a few times as she made for the cliff of sand and tall grass that she hoped would lead her to better ground. With more effort than she would have preferred and with the pulling out of some poorly rooted grasses, she pulled herself onto grass and enjoyed a moment of laying on the softer, more familiar surface for the moment. She stood up again and took in her surroundings, finding that grass and shrubs that had never known the touch of man were all that she was presented with, save for a lumbering mass of black flesh in the distance that noted her with astonishment.

"Toothless!?" She yelled, squinting while another gust of wind blew sand across her face. Her body shivered as her wet clothes lavished the touch of the air around her, finding that her body heat was fully intent to leave her whenever the breeze called.

_::Astrid!?::_ A low voice that was filled with jubilance surged forth in Astrid's mind as the dragon began to bound across the field towards her. Astrid lumbered towards the beast with what enthusiasm she could manage, ecstatic about seeing the dragon. She knew Toothless would not let anything happen to Hiccup, neither on land, in the air, or at sea.

The dragon appeared poised to pounce on her, but instead slowed and let the young woman collapse into him out of happiness and exhaustion. "Toothless-oh you're alright. I-"

_::I am rather impressed with the feat as well, but there are more important issues at the moment. Have you seen Hiccup anywhere on shore?::_

Astrid leaned back on her knees, looking into Toothless' eyes with a stunned expression while a dark feeling began to put pressure on her chest. "Wha-what? You mean you haven't seen him either?"

Toothless raised his neck, moaning as the conclusion struck them both. _::Regrettably…no. When we all became disconnected in flight I tried to reach Hiccup as we plummeted into the sea, but the waves proved too much even for me. Hiccup in his frailty was carried away much too quickly as well, perhaps caught by an especially powerful current. I could not keep track of him for long as he vanished into the waters. I was…I was hoping that you had found him and the two of you had made it to shore safely. I awoke not far from here and have been surveying the beach from this more stable ground since then. I assume you were intent to do the same?::_

"Yeah. Yeah I was but-gods I…you don't think he was pulled out to sea do you?" Her fears were growing as she looked to the ground, every possible scenario and every pain her husband was enduring was coming to the front of her mind all at once. Toothless remained stoic for the moment but put wore an air of concern, accepting that it was a possibility but not yet content to see it as a reality.

_::Let us not think of such a thing for now, we would make better use of our time in searching for him. He could not be too far from us if we were so relatively close together. I am sure if we scour the beach enough in either direction we shall come across him, for he is surely staying close to the beach as well, probably looking for us as we speak.::_

"You're right." Astrid stood with some hope in her posture, looking to the sandy shores that perpetually received the waves that had brought her here. Turning her head, she saw the grass on this plain extend a ways. She wanted to know what lay beyond, what this strange land that she had washed upon was like from the air. This drew her attention back to Toothless, whose swaying tail quickly dismayed her. She lifted a finger to a jumbled heap of metal and leather at the end of the appendage.

"Shit…don't tell me-"

_::Yes, I am afraid my false wing is useless at this moment, the lightning has burnt the leather and the metal became twisted when my body was caught rolling in the tides so close to the shore. It would appear that we will have to begin our trek on foot for now, perhaps when we find Hiccup he can fix it when we come to a town, but until then-::_

"Perfect." Astrid cut in, lamenting this further complication that made every other aspect of this life all the more difficult. Her exhales were carried away by the wind, which rolled down the fields before her to places that refused to be discovered. "In that case, I guess we're walking."

_::You may ride me if you desire, you seem weak.::_

Astrid's impulse was to say no and to insist that she could carry on without aid, but the sensation of her entire body pressing down on her knees and threatening to break them at any moment made her reconsider the value of pride. As Toothless lowered his head and back to her, she conceded to what the ocean had done to her and crawled onto the beast. "Thanks I-I'm not at my best."

_::You sound it. The sea smell also does you no favors.::_

"Never does…never does…" She peered out to the sea again, the waves becoming less and less ferocious as the skies parted to reveal orange and pink above. The sun would be setting soon, and with the coming of night the potential loss of many opportunities. "Come on." She whispered softly, resolute and worried at the same time. "We'll check the right first, we'll turn the other way only when we lose the light. Sound good?"

_::So long as we find Hiccup any plan is a suitable one.::_ Astrid could feel Toothless' anxiety, his fear that-even if he did not show it directly-he had lost a person as important to him as to Astrid. Even though they had each other, they were still horribly alone.

"Alright then, let's get a move on."

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

It was all so comfortable, and it was the sensation of warm, embracing comfort that aroused Hiccup's mind as his eyes opened to perceive the world. He was met with a brown, more specifically leather canopy that hung still above him. His head felt as though it had tripled in weight, his thoughts were cloudy and his muscles sore. He closed his eyes again as he tried to fall back asleep, back into the world of darkness he had crawled out of.

His prior dream had fallen away from him, and as he kept his eyes closed he began to think again, trying to part the sleepy delirium that hung over his conscious. He fell back to the easiest memory he could recall, the feeling of falling as he plunged into cold waters. Thunder had been cracking above him, lightning chased itself through the clouds. He swore he could still taste the brine of the sea on his morning breath.

He followed the recollection along, skipping past parts of panic and darkness to the next verifiable thought. He remembered sand, the soft yet abrasive feel of pulverized rock on his face and arms. The memory felt as though it should have been his last, he remembered being close to death and without the bodily strength to carry on. He had felt as sleepy then as he did now, and he began to feel that perhaps he had actually died, that this was to be the domain of his soul in _Hel_ or maybe-though he doubted it-Valhalla.

But the memory persisted, and two figures appeared from the plains beyond the shore. Two large men that had picked him up, made sure he was breathing, and had thrown him in a cart to be carried off somewhere, and it was at this point his memory tapered off again. There were flashes, tired and hazy recollections of a settlement, of the men and of other figures with ornate clothing and strange voices. He had been carried off somewhere, given some substance to render him tired and complacent as he was marched in a daze to somewhere with an uncomfortable bed.

His eyes opened again, and he now kept his gaze fixed on the leather above him. He began to pay attention with all his senses now, and with both hands felt a blanket over him. His own body was not extensively covered, his clothes were totally gone and replaced with an undergarment that he could feel was not his own. He found it odd, but noted that with the blanket covering him his body heat was at an ideal temperature. Comfort being established, he looked around himself some more, and was struck with surprise when he saw another man, easily a decade or more older than he laying on a cot next to him, also asleep.

This man was of a soundly dark complexion, the likes of which Hiccup had occasionally seen in Cordoba. He was tall but seemed to lack much muscle in contrast to his form. His blanket was tossed aside, and Hiccup saw that his neighbor was granted a pair of pants. The Viking thought it odd, and likewise took notice of the fact that he was not close to the ground, but rather the tough fabric that he laid upon was like a hammock, keeping him above what he inferred to be another hammock below him if the set up across used by the stranger across from him was anything to work with. On the bottom rack of this opposite ensemble there lay another man of even darker skin, of a shade that seemed stolen from the night. Hiccup could not determine his age well, but he seemed in the waning years of his third or fourth decade, his skin seemed to forbid anyone from knowing just how many years this man had seen. He was turned on his side for the moment, and Hiccup couldn't tell if the figure was asleep or not.

Sleep did seem odd for a time that appeared to in the afternoon. Powerful beams of sunlight penetrated the wafting openings in the slit openings for this tent that enclosed them all. Hiccup could feel that there was some kind of gentle wind outside, the air felt moist refreshing even inside these confines that were permeated by the natural smell of man.

"Where am I?" He whispered to himself. His body felt warm and loose, beyond what was capable of normal means. It felt as though something were in him, that some manner of agent was in his blood and was trying to lull him back to sleep. Yet it felt that this harbinger of sleep was weakening, for gradually Hiccup was gathering his wits together. Whoever had given him this substance, they must not have wanted to keep him drowsy for long.

Hoping to hop down from this cot and investigate his surroundings, Hiccup began to move his legs when a new sensation took him by surprise. A weight was present around his right ankle, and with immediate concern Hiccup lifted up his blanket to see just what it was. A collar of iron was locked just above his ankle, less than a quarter of a finger's width between the metal and his skin. A chain connected to his bind and snaked its way across the foot of the cot to the pillar that held up the rope and fabric construction

"What the…" He murmured as his heart began to race. Whoever the people were that had taken him in his exhausted state, they were certainly seeking to keep him as sedentary as possible. But why a chain? Did they think he was a threat? Was he their prisoner? And for what? Hiccup could not understand who would want to keep a boy washed ashore prisoner for any reason.

He pulled on the chain some more only to find that it was firmly secured to the cot's pillar, wrapped around tightly and with a knob at the top of the pillar ensuring that the chain could not be simply lifted off. Even knowing that it was pointless, he still rattled the chain and pulling as hard as he could, more for the sake of working out his quickly building frustrations that achieving anything significant.

"Come on…come on!" He began to have power in his voice as his morning breath faded away and panic started to dwarf all thinking. All he could wonder was what was happening. What had happened to him? What of Astrid and Toothless? So many questions, too little focus to contemplate them all. "No…no…"

"It is of no use Viking one, were it that simple you think I would be here?"

A low, rumbling voice appeared from the opposite side of the tent. Hiccup turned his neck to see the body of the dark man on the bottom rack opposite him turning over. He was similarly dressed in only a loincloth, but aside from dark, coarse looking hair on his head he seemed mostly hairless everywhere else. His eyes were a light brown and complimented his crimson lips well enough as he smiled at Hiccup, in far too nice a mood for Hiccup to suddenly accept his calls for serenity. "I wondered when you would wake up, they give you much of the sleeping drink when you come here, but you were in a daze even then."

"Uh…hi." Hiccup managed with caution, suspicious of this man as well his surroundings but always welcome assistance in times as strange as these."M-my name's Hiccup. You…you speak my language?"

"Ha…oh yes I knew that would be a surprise." The dark man chuckled as he made himself comfortable in his hammock. "I introduce myself. I am Sisay. It is nice to meet you Hiccup."

"Yeah…nice to meet you to." Hiccup began to calm himself as he wandered into conversation, but was still desperate for answers whenever they would come. Sisay smiled as he continued speaking.

"Your language…it is part of my life. For you see, I come from far away from here. I am from what you call _Etiopia_, at least this is my blood and my homeland. I was young when in desperation from poverty my parents gave me away. There were traders from Egypt who were desirous and my family needed coin, so I was exchanged and brought up the Nile to Alexandria. I do not feel anger towards them, an acceptable sacrifice to make so that my brothers and parents might live. For a slave I was treated well, for my owner was a merchant who did business with the Northmen like yourself. It was there I learned your tongue. When my master died, I was set free by his son, who had no want of carrying on the business for he was a soldier. I impress myself I still know enough of it to speak with you, though I must say yours is not like the deep voices of the other Vikings!" Sisay chuckled again, enjoying this new company of his.

"Wow…" Hiccup started, intrigued by the man's tale and hoping that it would soon reveal the nature of this strange place where he had become imprisoned. "_Etiopia_, where is it exactly? I have read many maps and never heard of such a place."

"Ah, my home…land of mountains and plains, of scorching sun and calm winds. It is far to the south of Egypt, if you know maps you have surely heard of this place?"

"Yeah just-just never found a map that knew of anything that far south."

"Ha! Little surprise, many leave my homeland, few come to it unless for money or slaves. Your people have never known its splendors or its sun, too busy elsewhere I hear."

Yeah…we get around." In all these months of travel, Hiccup had noticed one consistency wherever he went, and it was that while it seemed that Vikings were not ones to care much for the peoples that they met, it seemed that every culture that the Vikings met remembered them in some way or another. It took traveling to places that none seemed to really know about for peoples to be free from the path of Viking marauding.

"Indeed you do!" Sisay laughed, so calm and at ease even though Hiccup saw he was likewise chained to his own cot. This was if anything a relief for Hiccup, it made him feel more relaxed in his circumstances to see someone else who cared little for these odd conditions.

"Haha…" Hiccup chuckled, trying to get more information out of his new friend. "So then Sisay, how did you get here? What is this place?"

"Ah, quite the tale young man you, I shall tell it. When I was some years older than you appear to be and my master died, as I say I was let free. Now I had no want to stay in Alexandria, I am not the kind of man that likes large crowds or the commotion of a city. But I was fortunate, for my master educated me well so that I may help him in trade. Because of this, I could sometimes get my hands on the holy words of God from a nearby church. They reminded me of home, we had a nice priest who came to our village. While I would have liked to return home, I could not know if my family was still there or not, so I decided to take up a life of solitude in the desert like the great monks of times gone by. Admittedly, I am not the most resilient of men for life in Alexandria had made me soft, so I stayed close to shore. Still, I took up a life of prayer and contemplation. I was like this for two years I believe, for I lost track of these days in my desire for wisdom and inner peace. I wandered from town to town, finding donations of food and water and occasionally clothes from other faithful. It was a good time in my life."

Sisay paused a moment, idling his speech as his memories drifted back to a state of mind Hiccup truly envied. Loneliness without pain, solitude without misery. If only he had such a connection when he was younger, he may not have needed Astrid at all. "That's…that's pretty neat."

"Yes it was, for I was free from the world and all it offers. No want of those sinful things I admittedly indulged in when in Alexandria, no desire for flesh or food when no such things exist around you. My mind and that of God, alone in the winds and sand. I consider it the best time of my life."

"Alright, but what happened to you? How did you get here?"

"Ah yes, it was a very clear day that I decided to walk by the beach, enjoying the feeling of the waves upon my feet. Then there were horsemen, six I believe that came from further up the beach. They surrounded me. I tried to speak with them but they were not interested. The tied me up with ropes and carried me away to a nearby town, and so began the second period of my slavery, that is how you see me now."

"A slave?" The thought began to worry Hiccup. If his neighbor was a slave and they shared the same tent, what did that make him?

"It was not long before…ah, here they come." Sisay motioned with his head to the front of the tent, where the dancing tones of bare feet against dirt was quickly growing closer. Shortly after this sound was recognized, three female figures parted the leather and let in the sun, straining Hiccup's eyes a moment as they entered the tent, taking quick notice of the Viking's awake nature and smiling to themselves with an indefinable glee.

The three of them were dark skinned, not quite as dark as Sisay but undoubtedly natives to this land if their skin tone was any indication. One had hair that was cut short and that appeared as sheared sheep's wool as it topped her head, the black shining with natural oil. The two other women both wore theirs long, but in a style peculiar to Hiccup. It did not flow down in locks as the hair he had known, but instead had seemed to have been banded together into long strands that flowed down from their heads like thatch from a roof. They adorned this cluster of seemingly coarse looking hair with rings of gold and various beads, taking great pride in their handiwork.

They were not modestly dressed, and considering the heat Hiccup could understand why. One was of bare chest, the others wore only simple bindings on their torsos and all worse light trousers from their waist down. Despite this, they at least smelled nice enough, the odor of some exotic perfume wafted to Hiccup's nostrils from their bodies. Sisay had fallen quiet and lain supine, intent to observe these women without being too noticed.

Stepping off to the side, the woman with short hair said something to the other women, who approached Hiccup carefully and with a peculiar fascination. The young man sat still, unsure of what to do or say. "Uh…" His simple utterance drew ambiguous looks from the women, who kept staring at him as the more intrepid of the two started moving a few fingers towards him, seeming to tremble as she did so. "Can I…do you speak my language too?" His question stopped the woman who approached a moment, but the way she looked to him implied more a fascination with his voice than an intent to answer. It only took another short movement before her velvety skin connected with his own. Her fingers moved up and down his arms, mesmerized by it and occasionally squeezing to feel the muscles beneath the pale veneer.

Hiccup was uncomfortable but unsure on how to react to this, as the women did not seem to be too interested in his apprehensions. The two that had stayed back were surveying his entire body, mesmerized but at the same time calculating, never truly losing themselves to fantasy but no less fascinated in the entity that Hiccup was.

The woman that was touching him turned back and said something to the other two, smiling as she did. Her idle companions approached, and likewise laid their hands on him, despite Hiccup's staggered protests and questions. He did not want to cause a scene or offend when he did not know the full circumstances, but the sooner this ordeal of touching was over with, the better. They talked amongst themselves some more, whispering with glee as their fingers ran across his chest, through his hair and over his abdomen. "Uh…can I-are you…hello?"

They pulled away after a short while longer, talking some more in a language that beyond all others sounded totally foreign to Hiccup, without any of the vague but notable similarities in most of the other tongues he had come across in his travels. They were nodding and smiling, and without another word exited the tent again, shouting with joy to the sounds of a chorus of other women cheering after them. The feminine shrills were hardly muffled by the heavy leather flaps of the tent. The absence of any bass, of any masculine calls perplexed Hiccup, and Sisay could see this confusion writ upon the young man's face.

"Haha…yes I was confused at first as well. Where are the sounds of men you wonder? Yes this is most strange, but you learn, oh we all learn soon enough."

Hiccup turned back on his side to speak with the Ethiopian again, growing more and more suspicious of this place with every moment. "What do you mean? Just tell me already, what is this place?"

"Yes yes I tell you. As I said, I was captured by horsemen and once more sold like a slave, for this is what you see before you now. There is a small port not far from here, there are many men who scour both shore and sea for slaves to sell elsewhere. These women…I shall explain them first to you, this makes sense yes?"

"Alright…"

"Yes, for you see these women are not from these lands, for their skin is similar to mine. I know not your tale Norseman, but if you have seen the people native to here are not as dark skinned as me. Those women that you saw, they are from another land, from beyond the southern border of the desert. A land of rain and green, or so I have been able to learn in my years here. You see, these women are a people of only just that. They vanquish men from any position of authority and strip them of freedom, and for this they were always at war with their neighbors in their homeland, finally forced out some years ago and then made the perilous journey across the desert to here, this oasis around which they build their new community."

"Wha-what? That's…no men? What?" Hiccup found the issue a difficult one to comprehend, the obvious impossibilities made it a bizarre one to imagine functioning.

"Yes. Of course, there is always work to be done, and as much here as in their homeland there is always a need for slaves for their work, for bringing crops from this land is difficult. It is fitting that they then settled here, for the slave traders of the port keep up good business with them. Slaves after all die, but they can be allowed to do so if there are always replacements. Such is how these women-these _amazons_ if you will- live their lives."

Hiccup's chest felt as though it were going to implode, his entire body felt sick at Sisay's words. "What-what's the point of all of this? Why do they do this?"

Sisay shrugged a shoulder and closed his eyes a moment. "This I do not know, they love to show their hatred towards us but I can never find a reason. They pride themselves on what they do, but never consider whether it is truly right or not. Ha…there was a time I thought the word of Christ would reach them through my tongue, but in my cowardice I stopped when they threatened to cut it out instead. No use using the words of a man to teach these of all peoples I suppose…Lord help us."

Hiccup noticed his breath was harder to find, his already weary legs were losing their strength as his body entered a state of panic regardless of what he desired. He felt a more and more compelling urge to pull his chain again, so desperate to run out of here and into gods knew what lay beyond and to keep running until he couldn't run anymore. To run until he found Astrid and could hold her in his arms, until he found Toothless and he could fly far away from here. "That's it, I'm just a slave now? Are they going to make me work the fields is that it? Take care of livestock, wait on them hand and foot?"

This comment drew some amusement out of Sisay again. Hiccup did not care much for his carefree attitude anymore, too upset to be soothed by a figure that showed emotions so contrary to his state of being. "What?! What's so funny?"

Sisay shook his head. "Oh no boy, excuse my laughter, your innocence merely amuses me. You see there are only four of us here? You think this is enough to do work with crops or livestock? No, for these tasks they have nearly two dozen others who do such work. We…clearly they have taken a liking to you to put you in our tent."

"Why? What's so special about this tent?"

"Haha…us four now, you, myself, Mahmud and Ibrahim are here because they have shown mercy and hatred, they love us the most so they cause us the most pain. Not in body but in our spirits, or perhaps that is just my apprehensions. Funny indeed it is, I came to this desert to seek freedom and to suppress my baser urges…now it is all I am valued for. Oh how we are tested, though my will is yet to crack, at this point I doubt it ever will. But this, this my friend of the North is our role, I hope you are still a heathen for you no doubt will be used to such…_forceful_ measures."

"F-forceful?"

"Yes…" Sisay sighed, final seeming to finally be solemn. "We exist solely for their pleasure, items to be used for sex and children when they so need them. Of course, half the time if they are males they'll just be killed at birth unless they show some manner of strength, as if such a thing in infancy were possible! Oh…it is not a life I would rather live, to be treated like such an object and with no point to my life but sex. These are not good things." Sisay's remorseful tone contrasted with Hiccup's shocked expression, in disbelief that a scenario like this was even possible. The Viking's jaw quivered slightly, his brain caught in an loop of trying to process what had become of him.

"They-they ra-"

"I feel it is your skin they like in particular. Mine and Mahmud's are fairly dark, Ibrahim is more of the Arab kind. Yours of course is befitting your race, like snow it looks to me. No doubt, they think you are special and will treat you well. Or they'll use you poorly in a desperate want to enjoy you as much as they can. Perhaps they think that your seed will give them offspring of great powers, they are superstitious like that. After all, clearly I have done nothing good for them!" Sisay chuckled like the people who laugh at the prospect of battle, giving short and nervous puffs of air as he lay on his back. Hiccup felt his own breath leaving him, the walls of the tent closing in and the chain on his leg growing tighter.

He wanted to keep pulling on the chain, but it would get him nowhere. He wanted to yell at the top of his lungs, but nobody would hear him. The thought came across his mind to emasculate himself, but both fear and a lack of supplies would have prevented this possible way to escape this fate. Every swallow was a difficult one as he started to think back to his last pleasant memory, of he and Astrid holding hands before setting out on their last fateful flight. Had they survived? Were they out there looking for him right now? He forced himself to hope for both of these to be true, that soon he would be found and Astrid would free him from this place and they could fly as far away from this land as possible. He hoped, not because he did but because he wanted to.

"In any case…" Sisay started, closing his eyes with a patient grin on his face. "Rest up there my Northern friend, they will no doubt give you some days to recover your strength and to ready themselves for your use. Try not to fight back too hard or they _will_ cause you more pain. Good luck, and Lord have mercy."

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

**Hello Peoples!**

**So…this chapter is much later than usual. I deeply apologize for this, but finals hit me like a ton of bricks this year and I got swept up in the chaos and was not able to write much. Still, I wanted to make sure I got this chapter up before the holidays make writing difficult, so consider this my early Christmas present to you all, not that it's the most joyful of things to celebrate such a time of year. A dark way to start off Act IV I know, and rest assured we've got some dark stuff ahead, but would you expect anything less from me at this point? Hopefully I can get the next chapter up at a better pace than this one, don't want to totally lose my momentum here and still want to get this done at a good pace. Still, 350K words in about a year's time isn't too bad don't you think? Hope you all liked this chapter and a Merry Christmas to all! **

**-Mc.**


End file.
